Chinese research ships that visit Australia under US surveillance

US tracks Chinese icebreakers that visit Australian ports Fri 24 Jul 2026 at 5:40am In short: US authorities are actively monitoring two Arctic-bound Chinese icebreakers as part of an operation to "protect American sovereign rights". The polar research vessels, Xue Long and Xue Long 2, regularly dock in Hobart and Fremantle en route to and from Antarctica. What's next: The Australian government has rejected a Freedom of Information request about the ships' access to Australian ports, saying disclosure could affect national security. Two Chinese polar research ships that make regular port visits in Australia have come under increased scrutiny by US authorities targeting "any detected malign activity". It comes as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have rejected a Freedom of Information request regarding the vessels' access to Australian ports, saying disclosure could impact national security. The Xue Long (Snow Dragon) and Xue Long 2 are icebreakers that undertake missions in Antarctica and the Arctic on behalf of the Polar Research Institute of China (PRIC). The ships have docked in Hobart four times over the past two years after the Tasmanian government invited PRIC to resupply its vessels in the city during trips to and from Antarctica. The icebreakers had previously been using the Port of Fremantle in Western Australia to stock up on supplies. Last week, as the ships headed to the Arctic, the US Coast Guard issued a statement saying it had been monitoring them as part of an operation to "protect American sovereign rights". It said the ships were tracked within the US exclusive economic zone (EEZ) — within 200 nautical miles of the shore — and over the US extended continental shelf in the Bering Sea. "In response, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro executed Operation Frontier Sentinel to actively monitor the vessels during their northbound transit,"it said. "This operation is designed to protect American sovereign rights, ensure consistency with international law, and position the Coast Guard to rapidly respond to any detected malign activity." Foreign vessels are permitted to travel in those waters, but the US Coast Guard said it needed "to ensure their activities comply with established international law." "In particular, conducting marine scientific research within the U.S. EEZ and/or on the U.S. extended continental shelf would require advance permission from the United States and subsequent sharing of information collected," it said. It is the second year in a row that US authorities have kept a close watch on China's activities in the region after the Xue Long 2 was spotted 290 nautical miles off the Alaskan coast in 2025. The Canadian military also tracked the ship last year, with a spokesperson telling CBC that competitor nations were exploring Arctic waters and the sea floor, "probing our infrastructure, and collecting intelligence using dual-purpose research vessels and surveillance platforms". The increased activity of Chinese and Russian research vessels in the Arctic prompted two US senators to table a bipartisan bill last month to keep what they described as "spy ships" from conducting "research and espionage operations in American waters". Vigilance needed in Australian waters, analysts say Elizabeth Buchanan, a senior fellow at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute who specialises in polar security, said nothing should be taken for granted in Australia. "We should be concerned along the same lines of what the US Coast Guard is concerned about,"Dr Buchanan said. Dr Buchanan recommended Australian authorities monitor the Chinese icebreakers when in Australian waters. "We know that these vessels have various submersibles, crewed submersibles, that can stay undetected under the polar ice cap, under the water, for up to 12 hours," she said. "They have all sorts of capabilities: sonar, imaging, recording, robotic hands to lay cables, to add devices to the seabed floor. "So, we don't actually know what activity is going on in these research expeditions." Jennifer Parker, an adjunct professor at the University of Western Australia's Defence and Security Institute, said Australia should be vigilant about the ships' activities and capabilities. But the former naval officer said there was no current reason to prevent them from accessing Australian ports. "We should pay more attention to what they're doing, yes, but that doesn't mean we should blanket ban them from our ports," Professor Parker said. She said the US posture towards the Xue Long and Xue Long 2 was specific to issues in the US and the Arctic region. "This is about messaging China to highlight that the US knows exactly where they are and what they're doing and intends to respond, but also messaging the global audience that the US has concerns about China's activities in the Arctic and whether they are truly for scientific research purposes," Professor Parker said. She said while the research ships had a range of dual-use technologies that could be used for non-scientific purposes, it was not enough to warrant significant concern in regard to port visits in Australia. "Just because they are here and just because they have the capability, it doesn't mean that they necessarily pose a threat,"Professor Parker said. Government refuses to release port documents The ABC submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) in May seeking documents relating to Australian port access for the Xue Long and Xue Long 2. The request also sought correspondence between the Australian and US governments about the same topic. The application was rejected by a DFAT FOI officer earlier this month, who said the documents were exempt because public disclosure could affect national security. "Having examined the documents, I have decided that disclosure of some material contained within the documents would cause damage to the security of the Commonwealth, in particular because the disclosure of some material could be taken advantage of by those conducting activities which are hostile to the Commonwealth's interests," the officer said. The officer said the public release of the documents could also damage international relations. Several other reasons for refusal were also outlined, including that the material had been communicated in confidence and was subject to deliberative processes — both of which are considered exemptions under the FOI Act. China says voyages are for scientific research The ABC sought comment from the Chinese Embassy in Australia and the PRIC, but did not receive a response. Earlier this month, China's Ministry of Natural Resources said the purpose of the ships' Arctic mission was scientific research. "Sustained comprehensive Arctic expeditions serve as a critical foundation for addressing global climate change and advancing the sustainable development of the Arctic region,"it said. China's Foreign Ministry has previously rejected concerns about its fleet of research vessels as "groundless suspicion and speculations". It says the country carries out "normal activities at sea in accordance with international law". The Tasmanian government said the Antarctic gateway city of Hobart regularly welcomed research vessels and scientists from around the world. "Questions regarding national security are a matter for the Australian government," a spokesperson said. "The Tasmanian government receives briefings and advice regularly from Commonwealth agencies." The ABC has contacted DFAT for comment. [Image text:] CHINARE CHINARE