On Tuesday, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson firmly rejected concerns surrounding Sweden’s request for a Chinese vessel to enter its waters for the purpose of investigating recent underwater fiber optic cable incidents in the Baltic Sea. He was clear in stating that this was not the situation at hand.
Two distinct undersea cables suffered damage in quick succession on November 17 and 18, one linking Finland and Germany and the other connecting Sweden and Lithuania, which led German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius to raise the possibility of sabotage.
Criminal inquiries were subsequently launched by Sweden, Germany, and Lithuania, focusing on the Chinese bulk carrier Yi Peng 3, which had departed from Russia’s Ustiluga port on November 15. An analysis from Reuters utilizing Marine Traffic data tracked the ship’s position during the incidents.
Currently, the vessel is stationed in international waters, yet Danish military ships are closely observing it within Denmark’s exclusive economic zone.
According to Kristersson, Sweden has been in contact with the Yi Peng 3 and is engaging with China, expressing a desire to move the ship toward Swedish waters to assist in the investigation.
“We are not pursuing any charges at this moment, but we aim to understand the circumstances surrounding these events,” he noted during a press briefing.
Responding to inquiries regarding Sweden’s appeal, China’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that communication lines with Sweden and other parties remain “unobstructed.”
“We reiterate our commitment to collaborating with nations to ensure the security of international submarine cables and other infrastructures, according to international law,” stated ministry spokesperson Mao Ning during a routine press conference on Wednesday.
Western intelligence agencies believe that Chinese vessels played a role in severing the cables, though opinions differ on whether these incidents were intentional or accidental.
Officials from the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence categorized both events as accidents; however, representatives from other nations stated that the possibility of sabotage could not be dismissed.
Katja Bego, a senior research fellow at Chatham House, informed Reuters that annual occurrences of such breaches number between 150 and 200, with the vast majority being accidental. However, given the heightened geopolitical tensions in the area, a thorough investigation is warranted, she asserted.
“Investigations into these types of incidents can be protracted, and even if wrongdoers are identified, proving intent is exceptionally challenging,” she explained. “At this stage, one cannot definitively rule out sabotage or accidental causes.”
Meanwhile, Russia dismissed allegations suggesting its involvement in the cable damages as “absurd.”
Kristersson expressed hope for a favorable response from China regarding the request to allow the ship’s entry into Swedish waters. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated on Monday that ongoing “facilitated communication” with all relevant parties is being maintained.
Last year, significant damage occurred to an undersea gas pipeline and various communication cables along the Baltic Sea, with Finnish police suspecting a Chinese ship dragging its anchor was responsible.
Nonetheless, investigators have not reached a conclusion regarding whether the 2023 incident was accidental or deliberate.
