China research ship's deep EEZ dive sparks Palau security fears

A Chinese research vessel's unannounced 14-hour presence deep within Palau's exclusive economic zone has sparked security alarms, with experts suggesting a potential dual purpose beyond scientific exploration. The vessel, identified as the icebreaker 'Ji Di', navigated 74 kilometers inside Palau's EEZ in late May, prompting President Surangel Whipps Jr. to question the ship's intentions.

"They entered our exclusive economic zone without invitation and did as they pleased," Whipps stated, highlighting the lack of transparency surrounding the ship's activities. While China officially describes such research vessels as instruments for environmental monitoring and marine data collection, equipped with drones and underwater vehicles, security analysts express concern. They believe the data gathered could serve military objectives, potentially aiding Beijing in scenarios like a Taiwan Strait conflict.

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They entered our exclusive economic zone without invitation and did as they pleased. What were they looking for? What was the ultimate intention?

This incident is not isolated. The Pacific Islands Security Center (PCIS) notes that 16 Chinese research vessels have operated in the North Pacific this year alone, with similar events occurring in previous years. Jennifer Parker, an adjunct professor at the University of Western Australia, pointed out that the scale and location of Chinese vessel activities could be geared towards intelligence gathering for anti-submarine warfare against U.S. submarines operating in the region, particularly near strategic hubs like Guam.

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Although some vessels do conduct pure scientific research, the scale and location of Chinese vessel activities could also be collecting intelligence useful for anti-submarine warfare against U.S. submarines, especially if you look at the locations of U.S. submarine bases in Hawaii and Guam and their activities in the Western Pacific.

Leland Bettis, director of PCIS, observed the 'Ji Di' mapping a "mower-style" path along a potential U.S. submarine corridor near Guam. This pattern of activity, Bettis suggests, could be an attempt to collect "signal characteristics" of U.S. submarines or even deploy underwater listening devices. A 2024 report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies found that 80% of Chinese research vessels exhibit suspicious behavior or are linked to organizations supporting Beijing's geopolitical aims, with a significant concentration of surveys in the South China Sea and Western Pacific.

Palau has lodged a protest with China over the incident, asserting that such activities infringe upon its sovereignty and disregard the established international order. The implications of these research missions, potentially serving both scientific and military intelligence gathering, underscore growing geopolitical tensions in the region.

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The tracking of the Ji Di in May showed it mapping in a 'mower-style' pattern along a maritime corridor that U.S. submarines might use. This is a typical oceanographic survey.