China discovered a total of 124 new mineral deposits in 2023, marking significant progress in both oil, gas and mineral exploration, according to a report released by the Ministry of Natural Resources on Tuesday.
According to the report "China Mineral Resources 2024", by the end of 2023 China's coal reserves increased by 5.6 percent compared to the end of 2022, and the remaining technically recoverable reserves of oil and natural gas increased by 1.2 percent and 2.6 percent, respectively.
The reserves of metal minerals increased by more than 30 percent, and the reserves of nonmetallic minerals also increased significantly, said the report.
The report highlighted major breakthroughs in oil and gas exploration within large basins such as the Tarim Oilfield, the Junggar Basin and the Bohai Oilfield. Notable progress has also been made in the exploration of minerals such as coal, copper, gold, lithium and phosphorus.
"China's investment in mineral exploration has seen growth for three consecutive years, discovering 124 new mineral deposits in 2023. The country's supply of major mineral products increased steadily, energy output hit a record high, and the energy structure continued to optimize," said Yu Haiyang, director of the Strategic Planning Division of the ministry's Mineral Resources Protection and Supervision Department.
China discovers 124 new mineral deposits in 2023: report
Conveying Iran's conditions for ending the war to Pakistan, as a mediating country, is among the key purposes of Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi's return to Islamabad, Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported on Sunday.
According to Tasnim, Araghchi's return to Pakistan is not related to nuclear negotiations with the United States. Instead, the foreign minister is expected to discuss bilateral relations with Pakistan, along with other issues such as Iran's enforcement of a new legal system on the Strait of Hormuz, seeking war compensation, guarantees against repeated "aggression by the warmongers," and lifting the U.S. naval blockade.
Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on Sunday afternoon for his second visit since Friday, following a stop in Oman. His brief visit to Pakistan aims to continue consultations with Pakistani officials, it added.
Araghchi is scheduled to visit Russia after Pakistan on the final leg of his regional tour. During his first trip to Islamabad, he met Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Arm Chief Asim Munir.
On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities, killing Iran's then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, senior commanders, and civilians. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and U.S. assets in the Middle East, and tightened control over the Strait of Hormuz, blocking passage by vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States.
An April 8 ceasefire was followed by Iran-US talks in Islamabad on April 11 and 12. After the negotiations collapsed, the United States imposed a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, preventing ships to and from Iranian ports from transiting.
A new round of negotiations had been expected in Pakistan this week, but Iran declined to attend, citing continued U.S. naval pressure and "excessive demands."
U.S. President Donald Trump told Fox News Sunday that he will no longer send delegations to talk with Iran. "If they (the Iranians) want to talk, they can come to us, or they can call us," he said.
Trump said that he has great respect for Pakistan, which had been hosting U.S.-Iranian talks in Islamabad, and that Pakistan will stay involved.
He repeated that Iran cannot have nuclear weapons. "So if they want, they can call us. But again, they know what has to be in the agreement. Very simple: they cannot have a nuclear weapon. Otherwise, there's no reason to meet," said Trump.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said U.S. pressure and hostile actions are undermining trust and making progress toward renewed talks more difficult, according to a statement from his office early Sunday.
He added that Washington cannot pursue negotiations while increasing pressure on Iran, saying such actions "disrupt the necessary atmosphere" for diplomacy.
Iran's FM conveys conditions for ending war to Pakistan
