Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated on Tuesday that Sweden is requesting a Chinese ship to return to Swedish seas in order to assist in the investigation of recent breaches of undersea fiber-optic cables in the Baltic Sea, but he made it clear that he was not leveling any charges.
On November 17 and 18, two undersea cables—one connecting Sweden to Lithuania and the other connecting Finland and Germany—were destroyed in less than a day, leading German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius to claim he believed it was sabotage.
Last week, criminal investigations were opened by Sweden, Germany, and Lithuania, focusing on the Chinese bulk carrier Yi Peng 3, which departed the Russian port of Ust-Luga on November 15. The ship’s coordinates matched the time and location of the breaches, according to a Reuters review of MarineTraffic data.
Danish military vessels keep a tight eye on the ship, which is currently dormant in international waters but inside Denmark’s exclusive economic zone.
At a news conference, Kristersson stated, “We have had contact with the ship and with China, and we want the ship to move towards Swedish waters,” adding that it would aid in the inquiry.
“We want clarity on what has happened, but we’re not making any accusations,” Kristersson stated.
When questioned about Sweden’s request, China’s foreign ministry stated that all lines of communication with Sweden and other pertinent parties were open.
At a routine news briefing on Wednesday, ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters, “I would like to reiterate China’s consistent support working with all countries to maintain the security of international submarine cables and other infrastructure in accordance with international law.”
Numerous Western intelligence officials have expressed their confidence that the Chinese ship was responsible for the damage to both cables. However, they have differing opinions about whether these were unintentional or possibly intentional.
According to a U.S. official, U.S. Naval Intelligence believes that both instances were accidents, although foreign officials have stated that sabotage cannot be completely ruled out.
While the vast majority of these breaches are accidents, Katja Bego, Senior Research Fellow at Chatham House, told Reuters that an investigation was likely necessary due to the region’s geopolitical tensions. Between 150 and 200 of these breaches happen annually.
It can take a long time to investigate such occurrences, and even if the culprit is apprehended, as seems to be the case here, it is very challenging to prove intent, she said. At this stage, neither sabotage nor accident can be ruled out.
Last week, Russia declared that any idea that it was involved in the intrusions was ludicrous.
Kristersson expressed optimism that China will grant the request to relocate the ship to Swedish waters. Beijing has kept open lines of communication with all parties concerned, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Monday.
According to Finnish authorities, a Chinese ship dragging its anchor is thought to have caused the significant damage to an undersea gas pipeline and many telecom cables that run down the Baltic Sea’s bottom last year.
However, the investigators have not stated if they think the 2023 damage was unintentional or deliberate.
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