On March 23, Reuters disclosed, based on ship Automatic Identification System (AIS) data, analysis of academic papers, and interviews with multiple naval experts, that China has recently conducted large-scale marine environmental monitoring and seabed topographic mapping activities in the Pacific, Indian Ocean, and Arctic regions.

The report points out that these actions, which seem to fall within the realm of scientific research, are actually constructing a critical data foundation for potential underwater military conflicts, directly threatening the stealth advantages that the U.S. military submarines have long relied on.

For decades, the United States has established an almost monopolistic underwater situational awareness capability through its globally distributed fixed sonar arrays and long-term hydrological surveys. However, as China transitions from 'near-seas defense' to 'far-seas protection,' breaking this information asymmetry has become an inevitable choice.

The article states that a Chinese scientific research vessel is operating in the western Pacific, frequently shuttling around the waters near Taiwan and repeatedly approaching the waters near Guam. Guam, as the core hub of the U.S. military's second island chain, is not only a forward base for strategic bombers but also an important base for nuclear submarines. The intensive operations of the research vessel in this area imply a refined grasp of the seabed topography and acoustic characteristics of the region.

In the Indian Ocean, this research vessel's activity range covers the vast waters between Sri Lanka and Indonesia. This area guards the western exit of the Malacca Strait, which is a vital artery for global energy transportation and a necessary route for submarines traveling between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific. Detailed mapping of this shipping lane is directly related to the ability to control maritime traffic lines and construct anti-submarine blockade lines during wartime.

Brother Dao thinks that this is a typical case of allowing only officials to set fires, while not allowing the common people to light lamps. The U.S. research vessels have been collecting marine hydrological data for many years without seeing Reuters getting nervous. Once U.S. military submarines lose their relevant intelligence advantages, it will only bring more peace rather than anything else.