CSIS report finds Chinese research vessels spend most time near Pacific cables
A Center for Strategic and International Studies analysis of 200 research vessels from 47 nations found Chinese ships spent a statistically larger share of time near critical undersea infrastructure in the Pacific than any other nation's fleet.
Chinese research vessels spend more time lingering around Pacific undersea cables than ships from any other country, according to analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a think tank based in Washington, DC. 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. Indo-Pacific Defense Forum, which also reported the analysis, said the report singled out Chinese activity as particularly suspicious in this respect.
The report goes on to raise the question of intent, though it frames this as a possibility rather than a finding. According to the report, the "persistent and disproportionate activity" suggests China may be using its research fleet to collect underwater data that could assist analysis of terrain for sabotage or submarine operations.