China Deploys Spy Ship Off The Coast Of Hawaii
"The bottom line is that we're closely monitoring it," Capt. Darryn James, a spokesman for U.S. Pacific Fleet, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. "I think it's important for us to say that we can assure the public that we've taken all precautions necessary to protect critical information. We're not surprised that it's there."
The appearance of the spy ship does raise questions, however, as the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) already has four ships taking part in the exercise at the invitation of the United States. Beijing's participating in the exercise is a first, although legal barriers have precluded its sailors from being in drills that would reveal U.S. military secrets, according to the Wall Street Journal.
China's uninvited fifth ship - a Type 815 Dongdiao-class intelligence vessel named Beijixing - is operating a safe distance away from the Hawaiian coast and the other 50 ships taking part in the exercise "in accordance with international law," James told the Advertiser.
USNI has more:
Monitoring electronic signals and communications from rivals exercises is nothing new. The U.S. and then-Soviet navies were famous for stalking one anothers exercises to gain intelligence information. China often accuses the U.S. of doing the same in areas like the South China Sea.
Adversaries and allies both can learn much from monitoring and analyzing electronic signals from a plane or a warship - say the frequencies in which an air defense radar operates. Likewise the communications between ships and aircraft can tell an adversary procedures of how a navy operates.
Whatever intelligence China may be trying to glean from the more than 20 nations taking part in the exercise may set the country up to be disinvited to the next one. While a U.S. Navy spokesman told the Journal participants are usually invited back, at least one member of congress is not happy with the apparent intelligence gathering.
"Now we learn they chose to disrespect the 20 other international participants by sailing an intelligence gathering ship directly into the middle of the exercise," Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.), chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, told USNI. "It is clear China is not ready to be a responsible partner and that their first trip to RIMPAC should probably be their last."
The RIMPAC exercise runs from June 26 to Aug. 1 around the Hawaiian islands and southern California.
- Colon cancer rates are rising in young people. If you have two symptoms you should get a colonoscopy, a GI oncologist says.
- I spent $2,000 for 7 nights in a 179-square-foot room on one of the world's largest cruise ships. Take a look inside my cabin.
- An Ambani disruption in OTT: At just ₹1 per day, you can now enjoy ad-free content on JioCinema
- Markets rally for 6th day running on firm Asian peers; Tech Mahindra jumps over 12%
- Sustainable Waste Disposal
- RBI announces auction sale of Govt. securities of ₹32,000 crore
- Catan adds climate change to the latest edition of the world-famous board game
- Tired of blatant misinformation in the media? This video game can help you and your family fight fake news!
- JNK India IPO allotment date
- JioCinema New Plans
- Realme Narzo 70 Launched
- Apple Let Loose event
- Elon Musk Apology
- RIL cash flows
- Charlie Munger
- Feedbank IPO allotment
- Tata IPO allotment
- Most generous retirement plans
- Broadcom lays off
- Cibil Score vs Cibil Report
- Birla and Bajaj in top Richest
- Nestle Sept 2023 report
- India Equity Market