As per the Leaders Asia sources, Sweden has formally asked China for assistance in an investigation into the suspected sabotage of two submarine internet cables in the Baltic Sea earlier this month. Swedish authorities traced a Chinese ship, the Yi Peng 3, to the vicinity of the damaged cables, leading to suspicions of deliberate interference.
The cables, linking Finland to Germany and Sweden to Lithuania, were severed within 24 hours on November 17 and 18. The Swedish Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, stated that Sweden had requested the Chinese vessel return to Swedish waters to aid the investigation. Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation has also launched an inquiry into the incidents.
The tracking data revealed that the Yi Peng 3, which had recently visited Russia’s Vistino port, sailed near the cables, as well as other critical undersea infrastructure. Despite the ongoing investigation, Chinese authorities have denied any involvement, stating that their ships comply with international laws.
