The Washington Post published on 10 January 2024 an article titled "Chinese PLA-linked Vessels Map the Indian Ocean for Submarine Warfare" by Cate Cadell.
The Indian Ocean is critical to China's strategic and economic interests, as well as its geopolitical rivalry with India. Consequently, the Indian Ocean is fast becoming one of the biggest domains for Chinese oceanic surveys, which are ostensibly civilian in nature but tied to the People's Liberation Army and Beijing's military-civil fusion program -- a national strategic plan to advance China's military by acquiring technology and research from civilian groups.
