South China Sea Institute of Oceanology
Profile
| Official Chinese name | 中国科学院南海海洋研究所 |
|---|---|
| Official English name | South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Scientists |
| Chinese aliases | 南海海洋所 |
| English aliases | |
| Acronyms | SCSIO |
| Research fields | Tropical marine environmental dynamics and ecological processes, marginal sea geological evolution and oil and gas resources, sustainable utilisation and ecological protection of tropical marine biological resources, marine environmental observation systems and their key technologies |
| Total employee count | Unknown |
Summary
South China Sea Institute of Oceanology is categorised as a Limited Defence Partner based on the following indicators:
- Defence advisor
- 2 indicator
- Defence award
- 2 indicators
- Defence funding
- 3 indicators
- Defence laboratory
- 1 indicators
- Military-technology patent
- 2 indicators
- Research collaboration with defence entities
- 3 indicators
A limited defence partner contributes to the development of China’s defence capabilities in ways that are limited in time, frequency, scope or scale. Evidence indicates that participation has either ceased or if it persists, it is narrow in scope, not institutionalised and occurs through isolated or infrequent activities led by individual researchers, rather than through sustained programmes or organisational commitments.
Rules-based framework
| Rule | Resulting category |
|---|---|
| Two or more indicators = 4 | Core defence partner |
| One indicator = 4 and two indicators = 3 or Three or more indicators = 3 | Regular defence partner |
| One indicator = 4 and one indicator = 3 and all other indicators = 1 or 2 or Two indicators = 3 and all other indicators = 1 or 2 | Limited defence partner |
| All indicators between 0 and 2 | Civilian institute |
| Three or more indicators = 0 | Insufficient data |
Note: All indicators operate on a 0 to 4 scale. There are a total of six indicators.
For more information on the graded scales see the user guide.
Defence advisory roles
One member of the leadership of the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology served on the Marine Survey Technology and Methods Subcommittee of the National Marine Standardisation Technical Committee (TC283) before their tenure on the institute's leadership team.[1] The subcommittee appears to have been discontinued for more than five years, and it is likely that the individual no longer holds this position.[2]
TC283, affiliated with the Second Institute of Oceanography under the Ministry of Natural Resources, is responsible for developing and revising national standards related to the marine natural resources domain.[3] In accordance with Article 14 of the Marine Standardisation Management Measures, one such type of standards, the mandatory national marine standards, are regarded as essential for safeguarding national security.[4]
Other members of the institute's leadership have probably not served on defence-related expert committees before 2023. However, because the available data are somewhat outdated, the assessment is made with medium confidence, particularly with respect to any more recent activity.
Defence awards
Available information indicates that only one researcher affiliated with the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology has received a defence award: a Guangdong Most Beautiful Science and Technology Award granted in 2021.[5]
Researchers and projects at the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology have probably received one defence award since 2021. However, because the underlying data are outdated and incomplete award dates cannot be verified. This assessment is therefore made with medium confidence. Awards granted prior to researchers' affiliation with the institute or more recently cannot be fully ruled out.
Defence funding
Between 2021 and 2025, researchers from the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology authored 11 publications funded by Chinese defence entities, placing the institute in the 33rd percentile among the CAS institutes included in this analysis. Of the 1,769 authors affiliated with the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology who published during this period, 26 (1 per cent) had at least one defence-funded publication. However, it is not possible to attribute specific funding to individual researchers based solely on publication data.
Defence laboratories
No publicly available information suggests that this institute hosts or is affiliated with any known defence laboratories. The Chinese language laboratory websites do not mention any links or references to defence-related activities.
Military-technology patents
Between 2021 and 2025, the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology was granted one military technology patent, placing it in the 39th percentile among the CAS institutes included in this analysis. A total of eight inventors affiliated with the institute were listed on these patents.
Research collaboration with defence entities
Between 2021 and 2025, researchers from the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology co-authored 182 publications with at least one Chinese defence entity, placing the institute in the 12th percentile among the CAS institutes included in this analysis.
These collaborations include 16 publications with PLA academic institutions, 147 with defence laboratories, 3 with military hospitals, 14 with members of the Seven Sons of National Defence, 1 with a member of the Seven Sons of Ordnance Industry and 3 with defence conglomerates.
Of the 1,769 authors affiliated with the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology who published during this period, 253 (14 per cent) had at least one defence-related collaboration.
Return to directoryNotes
All cited web content was viewed at its original website location; however, to ensure ongoing accessibility we are providing links to Internet Archive versions here.
- Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology. 2025. 'Researcher: Li Chaolun.' [研究员: 李超伦]. As of 5 March 2026.Return to content⤴
- 2013. 'Working Rules of the Secretariat of the Subcommittee on Marine Survey Technology and Methods of the National Marine Standardisation Technical Committee.' [全国海洋标准化技术委员会海洋调查技术与方法分技术委员会秘书处工作细则]. As of 5 March 2026.Return to content⤴ National Public Service Platform for Standards Information. 2026. 'TC283 National Marine Standardisation Technical Committee.' [TC283 全国海洋标准化技术委员会]. As of 5 March 2026.
- National Public Service Platform for Standards Information. 2026. 'TC283 National Marine Standardisation Technical Committee.' [TC283 全国海洋标准化技术委员会]. As of 5 March 2026.Return to content⤴
- Baike Baidu. 2025. 'National Standardisation Management Measures' [海洋标准化管理办法]. As of 5 March 2026.Return to content⤴
- Party and Government Office. 2021. 'Sun Zhen was awarded the title of "Most Beautiful Scientific and Technological Worker" in Guangdong in 2021, and Huang Hui received the 16th Guangdong Ding Ying Science and Technology Award.' [孙珍获2021年广东"最美科技工作者"称号 黄晖获得第十六届广东省丁颖科技奖]. South China Sea Institute of Oceanology. 10 November. As of 8 April 2026.Return to content⤴