Sweden has officially requested China’s cooperation in an investigation concerning the damage to two undersea cables in the Baltic Sea, following the association of a Chinese ship with the incidents.
The cables, which connect Sweden to Lithuania and Finland to Germany, were damaged in Swedish territorial waters on November 17 and 18. The ship in question, the Yi Peng Three, was present in the area during this timeframe and is currently anchored in international waters off Denmark.
China has denied any involvement in the severing of the cables. The Yi Peng Three departed from the Russian port of Ust-Luga on November 15. The first cable, operated by Arelion, was damaged early on November 17, while the second cable, C-Lion 1, was cut the following day.
Ship tracking data indicates that the Yi Peng Three sailed directly over the cables around the time they were severed. Investigators suspect the vessel may have intentionally damaged the cables by dropping its anchor and dragging it along the seabed over a distance of more than 160 kilometers (100 miles).
Since November 19, the ship has remained in the Kattegat strait, a significant passage connecting the Baltic Sea to the North Sea, and is currently being monitored by the Danish navy.
On Thursday, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced that his government had formally requested China’s collaboration with Swedish authorities to clarify what transpired. He emphasized the importance of uncovering the facts and stated he expects China to comply with Sweden’s request.
Kristersson also reiterated his previous call for the ship to return to Swedish waters for an inspection as part of the investigation but clarified that he was not making any accusations.
The period following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has seen increased tensions in the Baltic Sea and several incidents of damage to undersea infrastructure. In September 2022, explosions caused significant damage to the Nord Stream gas pipelines, and in October 2023, an undersea telecommunications cable between Estonia and Sweden was compromised.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius remarked last week that there is widespread skepticism regarding the notion that these cables were cut accidentally, though he did not attribute responsibility to any particular party. In contrast, Russia dismissed any implication of its involvement as “absurd” and “laughable.”
Credit: BBC News
