The submersible, scheduled to spend 47 days at sea, left east China's Jiangsu Province for northeastern Pacific Ocean on July 1.
The tests will be conducted in the Pacific Ocean in accordance with a contract signed between the China Ocean Mineral Resources Research & Development Association and the International Seabed Authority (ISA).
They will also be carried out in line with the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea as well as the ISA's rules and regulations, Jin said.
A submersible differs from a submarine, as it typically depends on another vessel or facility for support.
Jiaolong completed 17 dives in the South China Sea between May 31 and July 18 last year, reaching 3,759 meters during its deepest dive.