US Think Tank Report Suggests Chinese Research in Indian Ocean Could Serve Military Purposes
China's expansion in the region poses significant challenges to India and the US, while China defends its research as purely scientific.
- US think tank, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), released a report suggesting that Chinese scientific research in the Indian Ocean could serve military purposes.
- CSIS report indicates that China's detailed knowledge of ocean depths, currents, and temperature is crucial for its growing submarine operations.
- China's expansion in the Indian Ocean poses a significant challenge to key regional players like India, as well as to the United States and its allies, according to the CSIS report.
- Chinese state media, the Global Times, defended the research missions, stating that China and regional partners were exploring the natural ecology of the region without any hidden agenda.
- China's foreign ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, stated that China's marine scientific research fully complied with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
CNA 
