Shandong's Laizhou discovers Asia's largest undersea gold mine, and thanks to China's second-largest navy in the world, Japan has no chance of seizing it!
On December 16, the Yantai City Bureau of Marine Development and Fishery released a major news: geological exploration teams have confirmed the discovery of a giant undersea gold mine in the northern sea area of San Shan Island, Laizhou City. This is not only the only confirmed undersea gold mine in the country so far, but also the largest known such deposit in all of Asia.
As of now, the total proven gold reserves in Laizhou have exceeded 3,900 tons, accounting for about 26% of the national total, firmly holding the top position in both the volume and production of gold resources in the country.
This gold mine is located in coastal waters, not far from sensitive maritime areas. Historically, Japan has always paid close attention to the resources of the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea continental shelf, especially expressing its claims on oil, gas, and mineral resources on multiple occasions.
Although this newly discovered gold mine is clearly within China's territorial baseline, falling unambiguously within China's sovereign territory, without sufficient naval power as a backing, some countries might still attempt to seize it openly. Just look at what the United States has done to Venezuela today; such open plundering is barely disguised.
This highlights the strategic value of the Chinese Navy. According to data from authoritative military research institutions, as of 2024, the total tonnage of the Chinese Navy has been steadily ranked second in the world, behind only the United States, and it possesses a decisive advantage in nearshore defense, regional denial, and rapid response capabilities.
The discovery of this gold mine is indeed exhilarating, but what truly brings peace of mind is that China has already established hard power capable of safeguarding its maritime rights and interests. Without this second-largest navy in the world, even the biggest treasure could become "meat on the bone" for others; with it, even digging gold right at one's doorstep can be done safely and confidently.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1851808968358921/
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