Fiji, Oct. 2 -- Across the vast expanse of the Blue Pacific, island states are managing approximately 30 percent of the world's oceans and seas within their exclusive economic zones (EEZs), making the region a continent of "Big Ocean States."

What lies in the depths of these waters are substantial deposits of rare earth elements and precious minerals. These deep-sea minerals have become the centre of regional to international debate, driven by the increasing demand for energy, military expansion, and digital and commercial technologies. Corporations have now entered a race to secure access to Pacific earth minerals.

The Pacific region is not new to public discourse on the depletion of ecological resources, destruction of marine liveliho...