A report from the Indo-Pacific Defense Forum highlights persistent activity by Chinese research vessels near undersea cables in the Pacific region. Analysts suggest this fleet may be collecting underwater data to map terrain for potential sabotage or submarine operations.
Data indicates that a ship from the Xiang Yang Hong fleet operated near three undersea cables connecting the U.S. to Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, and Guam between July and October 2024. These vessels utilize a lawnmower pattern, a method typically associated with seafloor surveying.
While these ships are part of a civilian fleet rather than the Chinese navy, the gathered information could support future military objectives. This activity occurs alongside broader territorial disputes in the South China Sea and claims over Taiwan.
The report also notes similar trends from other nations. A recent analysis by The Telegraph identified 500 incidents of Russian monitoring of undersea infrastructure over the past five years, while Iran has issued threats regarding cables in the Strait of Hormuz.
