Keywords: China, marine research fleet, Indo-Pacific, Indian Ocean Region (IOR), Xiang Yang Hong, PLA Navy, deep sea exploration, maritime strategy, South China Sea, Bay of Bengal
China’s maritime ambitions continue to grow, with significant emphasis now placed on its burgeoning marine research and oceanographic fleet. With 64 active vessels, compared to only 19 in 2012, China’s research fleet has become the largest in the world. This growth complements its existing naval and coast guard dominance, as well as its robust maritime militia.
The fleet encompasses vessels optimized for a wide range of scientific and strategic activities, including seismology, bathymetry, topography, climatology, deep-sea habitats, and ocean current analysis. Many are also equipped for seabed sample collection, underwater monitoring system operations, and the launch of manned and unmanned submersibles. Notably, some vessels are designed for ballistic missile detection and tracking, reflecting the dual scientific and military objectives of this initiative.
China’s 14th Five-Year Plan highlights deep-sea exploration as a priority under its science and technology section, with periodic progress reviews at the highest levels of governance. Much like other major Chinese initiatives, this program serves a combination of strategic, economic, and security purposes.
The marine research fleet’s activities extend beyond pure scientific inquiry, playing a key role in gathering intelligence and expanding China’s influence in contested waters. This approach mirrors earlier moves in the South and East China Seas during the 1980s and 1990s, where research vessel deployments often preceded aggressive territorial claims.
The Indo-Pacific region has become a focal point for China’s research vessel operations, especially the Western Pacific, South China Sea, and Indian Ocean. Recent deployments in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) include strategic surveys of the southwestern Indian Ocean, Andaman Sea, Bay of Bengal, and Arabian Sea.
In 2018, the Chinese research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 3 carried out an extensive 250-day deployment in the IOR, marking a milestone in China’s deep-sea research efforts. More recently, in August and September 2024, three Chinese research ships (Xiang Yang Hong 3, Hai Yang Shi You 718, and Bei Diao 996) were deployed in the Bay of Bengal region. These ships entered the IOR through different routes, likely to survey potential pathways for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy submarines.
China’s research vessels have raised concerns among regional stakeholders due to reports of certain questionable practices. These include the occasional deactivation of Automatic Identification Systems (AIS), which hampers transparency and raises suspicions of clandestine activities. Additionally, instances of AIS spoofing—manipulating identification signals to obscure vessel activities—have been noted.
These actions align with broader concerns about China’s strategic intentions, as research missions often blur the line between civilian and military objectives. The overlap between marine research and naval intelligence-gathering is particularly concerning for nations like India, which views the IOR as a critical security frontier.
The expansion of China’s marine research fleet underscores its ambition to dominate not only regional waters but also global maritime domains. This initiative is a key pillar of China’s broader Indo-Pacific strategy, with implications for scientific research, geopolitical maneuvering, and military preparedness.
China’s focus on the IOR, coupled with its history of leveraging research operations for strategic purposes, has prompted regional powers to monitor these activities closely. Nations like India, Japan, and Australia are increasingly prioritizing maritime domain awareness to counterbalance China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific.
As China’s marine research fleet continues to expand, its deployments will likely shape the future of maritime geopolitics, particularly in contested regions like the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. Balancing the legitimate scientific contributions of these missions with their potential security risks remains a critical challenge for regional and global stakeholders.
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