Welcome to the deepest point on Earth, nearly 11,000 meters down. No sunlight. Crushing pressure. It’s more alien than the surface of Mars. And we know almost nothing about it. But now, one country is racing to explore these depths, and not just for science.
China is deploying fleets of deep-sea robots, building underwater bases, and quietly moving to claim what lies at the bottom, before anyone else can. As the U.S. guts its ocean research programs, China is diving deeper, moving faster, and investing more aggressively than any nation in history.
So what exactly is down there? And why is China so determined to get it first?
