● Covered by 2 sources · 4 reportsMedium impact3 negative1 neutral
Chinese Research Vessels Spend More Time Near Pacific Undersea Cables Than Other Nations
Key points
- Chinese vessels loiter near undersea cables more than other nations.
- Activity suggests data collection for potential sabotage or submarine use.
- One vessel spent months near cables connecting US, Australia, and others.
- Pattern of 'gray zone research activities' amidst territorial claims.
- US companies Google and Meta own subsea cable projects at risk.
- Chinese commercial ships are investigated for cutting cables in European and Asian waters.
- Most cable damage is from fishing nets, ship anchors, storms, and landslides.
- The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission published a research report on China's gray zone tactics.
- A Chinese research vessel ignored Philippine demands to withdraw near an undersea cable.
- The vessel broadcasted a false ID and evaded capture by the Philippine Coast Guard.
- The Philippines sent its largest vessel to respond to the incident.
- A Chinese coastguard ship intervened, and Beijing complained of harassment.
- The incident occurred 37 nautical miles from the Batanes province.
Chinese Vessels Near Undersea Cables
A report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) indicates that Chinese research vessels spend more time near undersea cables in the Pacific Ocean compared to other nations. The analysis reviewed 200 research vessels from 47 countries, including the U.S. and Russia, concluding that Chinese vessels exhibit a "statistically significant larger share of time" near critical infrastructure.
Implications for Data Collection
The Indo-Pacific Defense Forum reported that this "persistent and disproportionate activity" by China suggests its research fleet may be gathering underwater data. This data could aid in analyzing terrain for potential sabotage or submarine operations. Civilian research vessels offer a cover for states to conduct such activities with plausible deniability.
Specific Incidents and Patterns
The report highlighted a ship from the Xiang Yang Hong research fleet, which operated near three undersea cables connecting the U.S. with Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, and Guam between July and October 2024. These ships often move in a "lawnmower" pattern, which is associated with surveying to create accurate seafloor maps. While these ships are not part of the PRC's navy, the collected data could be utilized by China in future conflicts.
Context of Geopolitical Tensions
These "gray zone research activities" occur amidst ongoing Chinese territorial disputes in the South China Sea with nations like the Philippines and Vietnam, as well as its claims over Taiwan. This behavior aligns with a broader trend of authoritarian states seeking to control undersea infrastructure, following reports of Russian monitoring near cables and Iranian threats against them.
Updates
- A Chinese research vessel ignored Philippine demands to withdraw near an undersea cable.
- The vessel broadcasted a false ID and evaded capture by the Philippine Coast Guard.
- The Philippines sent its largest vessel to respond to the incident.
- A Chinese coastguard ship intervened, and Beijing complained of harassment.
- The incident occurred 37 nautical miles from the Batanes province.
- US companies Google and Meta own subsea cable projects at risk.
- Chinese commercial ships are investigated for cutting cables in European and Asian waters.
- Most cable damage is from fishing nets, ship anchors, storms, and landslides.
- The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission published a research report on China's gray zone tactics.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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How outlets covered it
A Chinese research vessel was observed near an undersea cable in Philippine waters, ignoring demands to withdraw and broadcasting a false ID. This incident follows reports of China disproportionately mapping seafloor infrastructure, raising concerns about potential vulnerabilities in global communication networks.
Taiwan's Ocean Affairs Council is developing an autonomous drone system with National Cheng Kung University to counter China's grey-zone military activities. The system will enable drone fleets to coordinate missions without human intervention, enhancing maritime surveillance capabilities around the island.
A new report indicates that undersea cable projects owned by US companies like Google and Meta face increased sabotage risks in the Pacific Ocean due to Chinese research and commercial vessel activities. This raises concerns about potential "gray zone" tactics targeting internet infrastructure amid rising international tensions.
A report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies found that Chinese research vessels spend a disproportionately large amount of time near critical undersea infrastructure in the Pacific Ocean. This activity suggests China may be collecting underwater data for potential sabotage or submarine operations, raising concerns about national security and territorial disputes.