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In China’s Orbit: Beijing’s Space Diplomacy in the Global South

China is using its dual-use space industry to lock in long-term influence across the Global South, creating strategic, economic, and security dependencies that will shape the future balance of power in orbit.

Digital Report by Matthew P. Funaiole, Brian Hart, and Aidan Powers-Riggs — January 15, 2026

At the Doorstep: A Snapshot of New Activity at Cuban Spy Sites

New satellite imagery offers an updated look at two Cuban signals intelligence sites, including construction of a new circularly disposed antenna array. The two sites are among those most likely to be supporting Chinese intelligence-gathering operations from Cuba.

Digital Report by Matthew P. Funaiole, Brian Hart, Aidan Powers-Riggs, and Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. — May 6, 2025

Murky Waters: Navigating the Risks of China’s Dual-Use Shipyards

China’s booming dual-use shipyards are accelerating its rapid naval buildup. This Hidden Reach investigation demystifies China’s murky shipbuilding ecosystem and explores the role foreign firms play in supporting it.

Digital Report by Matthew P. Funaiole, Brian Hart, and Aidan Powers-Riggs — March 25, 2025

Crossroads of Commerce: How the Taiwan Strait Propels the Global Economy

This report provides an unprecedented look at the Taiwan Strait’s role in global trade, revealing that over one-fifth of all maritime commerce passes through this vital waterway. China possesses a range of non-kinetic options it may employ to coerce Taiwan, which could significantly disrupt this trade.
 

Digital Report by Matthew P. Funaiole, Brian Hart, David Peng, Bonny Lin, and Jasper Verschuur — October 10, 2024

How China Could Blockade Taiwan

China has options other than invasion to try to force Taiwan’s unification, one of which is a blockade. This report explores the potential motivations and strategic calculus for a blockade and maps out possible scenarios of how China could approach blockade operations.

Digital Report by Bonny Lin, Brian Hart, Matthew P. Funaiole, Truly Tinsley, and Samantha Lu — August 22, 2024

Secret Signals: Decoding China’s Intelligence Activities in Cuba

In 2023, U.S. officials acknowledged that China operates spy facilities in Cuba, but details have remained scarce. New satellite imagery offers an unprecedented look at four active sites in Cuba most likely to be supporting China’s efforts to spy on the United States.

Digital Report by Matthew P. Funaiole, Aidan Powers-Riggs, Brian Hart, Henry Ziemer, Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., Ryan C. Berg, and Christopher Hernandez-Roy — July 1, 2024

How China Could Quarantine Taiwan

As China ramps up pressure on Taiwan, one major step it could take is a law enforcement-led quarantine of the island. This report lays out China’s potential motivations for a quarantine and maps out two plausible scenarios of how it could conduct quarantine operations.

Digital Report by Bonny Lin, Brian Hart, Matthew P. Funaiole, Samantha Lu, and Truly Tinsley — June 4, 2024

Charting 2024 through Data

CSIS experts offer insights on some of the most important issue areas shaping the world in 2024.

Digital Report by Jaehyun Han, Brian Hart, Heather Williams, Kelsey Hartigan, Lachlan MacKenzie, Reja Younis, Otto Svendsen, Sissy Martinez, Zane Swanson, Anita Kirschenbaum, David Michel, Henry Ziemer, and Michaela Simoneau — March 19, 2024

Skirting the Shores: China’s New High-Tech Research Ship Probes the Waters around Taiwan

In late 2023, an advanced Chinese research vessel known as the Zhu Hai Yun circumnavigated Taiwan in a rare move that appears intended to challenge Taiwan and probe the environment around the island. This Hidden Reach Snapshot reveals the vessel’s ties to China’s military.

Digital Report by Matthew P. Funaiole, Aidan Powers-Riggs, and Brian Hart — February 26, 2024

Surveying the Seas: China’s Dual-Use Research Operations in the Indian Ocean

China is deploying dozens of civilian vessels to survey the world’s oceans. While these ships support scientific and commercial objectives, they can also help China’s navy understand the maritime environment as it ventures into less familiar waters like the Indian Ocean.

Digital Report by Matthew P. Funaiole, Brian Hart, and Aidan Powers-Riggs — January 10, 2024