Reuters: “When we challenge them and query them as to the purpose of their activities, their response typically is either ‘we are conducting operations in international waters’ or ‘we are conducting scientific research’,” he said.
…The concern is two-fold. One is that China may be involved in scientific research focused on the mineral exploitation of the seabed in an area that belongs to the US, Little said.
The other is that these vessels conduct activity that might “provide them (the Chinese) with a military advantage or pose a security threat to the United States”, said Little, whose area of operations is nearly as vast as Europe…