Japan recently confirmed that a signals intelligence vessel from the People’s Liberation Army Navy sailed east of Miyako Island, an area considered strategic due to its proximity to commercial sea lanes and the Japanese archipelagos. According to the official statement from the Joint Staff Office of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces, the vessel—identified as Beijixing (791), a Dongdiao-class ship—was observed sailing northwest through the waters between Okinawa’s main island and Miyako Island, heading toward the East China Sea.
Currently, the Miyako Strait is an international waterway between Miyako Island and Okinawa, commonly used by vessels of the People’s Liberation Army Navy to transit between the East China Sea and the Philippine Sea. In recent months, this maritime corridor has become one of the preferred routes for PLA naval units, raising concerns among Japanese authorities over the frequency and composition of these transits.
Recently, the detection of two separate Chinese Navy task groups—including amphibious assault ships—transiting through the Miyako Strait toward the Philippine Sea has once again raised alarms. According to available records, a deployment of this nature had not been reported since August 2024.
The presence of the Beijixing is not an isolated incident, but part of a broader pattern of Chinese naval deployments that have been consistently monitored by Japan’s Self-Defense Forces. Among the most recent cases is the unprecedented detection of a Dakai-class submarine support ship transiting the Tsushima Strait toward the Sea of Japan—an indication of a possible increase in Chinese undersea capabilities in the area. Additionally, in late July, Luyang III-class destroyers accompanied by a replenishment ship were spotted operating west of the Gotō Islands, later proceeding through the same maritime corridor. This activity is further compounded by the simultaneous deployment of the Liaoning (CV-16) and Shandong (CV-17) aircraft carriers in the Western Pacific. Their operations near Japan exceeded 1,000 air sorties, underscoring the growing presence of the PLA Navy in waters near the Japanese archipelago.
Dongdiao class
The signals intelligence ship Beijixing belongs to the Dongdiao class, also known as Type 815/815G, of the Chinese Navy, developed to collect signals, communications, and radar data. Measuring approximately 130 meters in length, displacing around 6,000 tons, and accommodating about 250 crew members, these vessels are designed for prolonged missions at sea. They incorporate ballistic missile tracking systems, electronic countermeasures, and intelligence link management from their stern helipad.
Lastly, it should be noted that Beijixing, originally commissioned in 1999 under the name Dongdiao and later renamed, has been routinely observed operating in waters off Japan and the Western Pacific, including passing near Amami Oshima Island, Japan, in October 2024, before transiting toward the Philippine Sea.
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