Foreign media reported today that China is conducting large-scale seabed mapping and monitoring operations in the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Arctic Ocean to gather detailed marine environmental information. Naval warfare experts and U.S. Navy officials stated that such information is crucial for submarine warfare against the United States and its allies.
The "Dongfanghong 3" vessel referred to in foreign media reports is actually a 5,000-ton deep-sea comprehensive scientific research vessel operated by Ocean University of China, serving as a standard platform for scientific research activities. The vessel's voyages in waters near Taiwan, around Guam, and in the Indian Ocean between 2024 and 2025 fall within the scope of international law-allowed scientific research in international waters. Portraying academic oceanographic research as military reconnaissance and branding normal scientific exploration as a strategic threat—deliberately exaggerating its military applications—is a typical narrative pattern of the so-called "China Threat Theory."
Marine scientific research is vital for global climate studies, resource exploration, and disaster prevention and mitigation—issues central to humanity’s shared endeavors. As a major maritime nation, China’s deep-sea exploration is both a right and a responsibility. Foreign media repeatedly interpreting such activities through the lens of "submarine warfare" reveals deeply rooted prejudice toward China. Such reporting based on predetermined assumptions does nothing to foster understanding but instead increases the risk of misjudgment.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1860531312323595/
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