CSIS finds Chinese research vessels spend most time near Pacific undersea cables
A Center for Strategic and International Studies analysis of 200 research vessels from 47 nations found Chinese ships spent a statistically significant larger share of time near critical undersea infrastructure in the Pacific.
Chinese research vessels spend more time near undersea cables in the Pacific than those of any other nation, according to a report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a Washington, DC think tank. Tom's Hardware reported the findings on Tuesday 27 October 2026.
The analysis compared the behaviour of 200 research vessels from 47 nations, including the United States and Russia. It found Chinese vessels spent a "statistically significant larger share of time" near critical infrastructure. The Indo-Pacific Defense Forum, which also reported on the analysis, said the Chinese activity stood out as particularly suspicious.
The report describes the activity as "persistent and disproportionate". CSIS says China may be using its research fleet to collect underwater data that could help analyse terrain for sabotage or submarine operations. That is the think tank's assessment of what the pattern may indicate, not an established finding of intent.