(Reuters) – China’s scientific survey fleet of ships is growing and although the government insists the vessels are for research purposes only, some Asian neighbours, especially India, are concerned sensitive data they gather might be shared with the Chinese military.
A research vessel – Xiang Yang Hong 03 – arrived at the Maldives on Thursday. It is the latest Chinese civilian survey ship that India has called a “spy ship”.
China is expanding in both number and size its so-called China Marine Research Vessels, a national survey fleet established in 2012, as President Xi Jinping calls for the building of a “strong maritime country”.
Below is an overview of Chinese vessels that frequent the Indian Ocean.
NAME VESSEL RANGE( OWNER ACTIVITY HISTORY
TYPE nautic
al
miles)
Xiang Ocean-g 15,000 First Started in Oct 2016:
Yang Hong oing Institute of two months of
01 researc Oceanography, integrated water
h Ministry of survey of the
vessel Natural southern part of East
Resources Indian Ocean
Started in Aug 2017:
263 days of global
resources,
environment and
climate survey in
areas including the
Indian Ocean.
Ended on Feb. 19,
2021: 67 days of
geological and
geophysical profiling
in the East Indian
Ocean
Started on Feb. 12,
2022: 74 days of
survey of marine
substrates and
benthic organisms in
the West Indian Ocean
Xiang Ocean-g 15,000 Third From May to July
Yang Hong oing Institute of 2022: conducted
03 researc Oceanography, survey in the East
h Ministry of Indian Ocean.
vessel Natural
Resources
From Jan to May 2024:
conducted deep-water
survey in the south
Indian Ocean.
Xiang Ocean-g 8,000 First Started in Nov 2017:
Yang Hong oing Institute of 75-80 days of
18 researc Oceanography, integrated water
h Ministry of survey of the
vessel Natural southern part of East
Resources Indian Ocean
Xiang Coast-g 10,000 East China In Dec 2019:
Yang Hong uard Sea Bureau, conducted survey in
19 vessel Ministry of the East Indian Ocean
convert Natural
ed Resources
survey
ship
Xiang Ocean-g 15,000 The North Sea In Nov 2014: carried
Yang Hong oing Bureau of the Jiaolong and
09 researc Ministry of conducted survey in
h Natural Southwest Indian
vessel Resources Ocean’s polymetallic
and sulphide mining area
also
the
diver
boat of
deep
submerg
ence
test
Xiang Marine Second Started in Jan 2016:
Yang Hong Researc Institute of 18 days of ocean
10 h Oceanography, scientific survey in
Vessel Ministry of Southwest Indian
Natural Ocean
Resources
Started on Dec. 6,
2017: 250 days of
global survey
including survey in
Indian Ocean
Xiang Marine 15,000 The North Sea From Feb. to March
Yang Hong Researc Bureau of the 2020: conducted joint
06 h Ministry of marine scientific
Vessel Natural research with Myanmar
Resources in the East Indian
Ocean and 12
underwater gliders
carried out
observation which put
India on alert.
Dong Fang 13,000 Ocean On Nov. 14, 2017:
Hong 2 University of crossed the Strait of
China Malacca into the
Indian Ocean and
stopped at Sri Lanka
port
Shi Yan 1 Marine 8,000 Institute of In Sept 2019:
scienti Oceanology, expelled by Indian
fic Chinese warship for operating
researc Academy of near the Port Blair
h Sciences region of India.
vessel
Started in April
2010: 48 days of
environmental,
geological and
biological survey in
areas including the
Indian Ocean
Shi Yan 3 Marine 8,000 South China From April to June
scienti Sea Institute 2021: conducted
fic of marine sediment
researc Oceanology, collection,
h Chinese biochemistry surveys
vessel Academy of in East Indian Ocean.
Sciences
Shi Yan 6 Ocean-g 12,000 South China Started in March
oing Sea Institute 2022: 85 days of
researc of scientific survey in
h Oceanology, the East Indian
vessel Chinese Ocean.
Academy of
Sciences
Started in Sept 2023:
80 days of scientific
survey in the Indian
Ocean and stopped at
Sri Lanka port
Colombo, which caused
India’s objections.
Lan Hai Fisheri 10,000 Yellow Sea Started in Nov 2023:
101 es Fisheries 120 days of fishery
science Research research in middle
researc Institute, and west Indian
h Chinese Ocean.
Academy of
Fishery
Sciences
Lan Hai Fisheri 10,000 East China In Nov 2023:
201 es Sea Fisheries conducted fisheries
science Research resources survey in
researc Institute, the northwestern
h Chinese Indian Ocean
Academy of
Fishier
Sciences
Da Yang Ocean-g 15,000 National Deep In Nov 2014:
Yi Hao oing Sea Center conducted exploration
scienti for polymetallic
fic sulphides in
researc thesouthwest Indian
h Ocean
vessel
Hai Yang Geologi 8,000 Guangzhou In Nov 2018:
Di Zhi cal Marine conducted marine
Shi Hao survey Geological geoscientific
ship Survey, expeditions in Indian
Ministry of Ocean
Land and
Resources
In April 2018:
conducted tracking
mission in the Indian
Ocean for two
satellite launching.
Dec 2022:
entered Indian Ocean
region.
In Nov 2022: the
Indian Navy stopped
the vessel from
entering its EEZ and
called it a spy ship.
Hai Yang Geophys China In April 2023:
Shi You ical Oilfield crossed the Malacca
760 explora Services Strait after
tion Limited conducting ocean bed
ship mapping in the Indian
Ocean.
Sources: Xinhua, CCTV, Global Times, China National Radio, China News Service, Science and Technology Daily, official websites of vessel owners, SCMP, The Times of India, Hindustan Times.
(Reporting by Albee Zhang and Ryan Woo: Editing by Neil Fullick)
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