Sweden has officially reached out to China for assistance in clarifying the recent damage to two underwater data cables located in the Baltic Sea, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson confirmed on Thursday. This incident occurred in proximity to where a China-flagged ship was observed. The cables in question link Finland to Germany and Lithuania to Sweden. Their damage, which took place last week, has raised significant concerns.
The vessel, known as Yi Peng 3, has been docked in international waters situated between Sweden and Denmark. During a press briefing held in Harpsund, Kristersson indicated that Swedish authorities would like the ship to enter Swedish territorial waters to facilitate inspection as part of the ongoing international inquiry. “As I have stated previously, Sweden has conveyed our wish for the ship to relocate to Swedish waters, and we are currently in discussions with China from our end,” Kristersson remarked. He added that Sweden has formally requested cooperation from China to help clarify the situation regarding the cable damage.
This discussion followed a security meeting involving leaders from Baltic Sea countries. During the same press conference, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk expressed his full support for Sweden, highlighting the country’s reliability in taking necessary actions benefiting all Baltic nations. Investigations into the severed cables are ongoing, with authorities from Finland, Sweden, and Germany leading the efforts. Germany’s defense minister suggested that the damage might have been caused by sabotage, although no concrete evidence substantiates this claim at the moment.
Earlier this month, Chinese officials stated they lacked knowledge about the Yi Peng 3 but expressed their willingness to engage in discussions with relevant stakeholders. They emphasized the necessity to uphold the vessel’s navigation rights. This incident is not the first of its kind; last year, Sweden reported that a cable extending from its coast underwater to Estonia had been “intentionally” damaged.