Overview

• 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.