Sweden advises the Chinese ship to return for further investigation into undersea cable incident.

Sweden has asked a Chinese vessel, the Yi Peng 3, to return to Swedish waters to assist in an investigation into recent breaches of undersea fiber-optic cables in the Baltic Sea. Two subsea cables were damaged in November, leading to suspicions of sabotage by the German Defense Minister. The ship is currently in international waters, closely monitored by Danish vessels. While no accusations have been made, there is a desire for clarity on the situation. China has stated that communication channels remain open with Sweden and other relevant parties, emphasizing support for maintaining the security of international submarine cables. Western intelligence officials believe the Chinese ship may have caused the cable cuts, although opinions on whether it was intentional vary. Despite around 150-200 cable breaches occurring annually, the geopolitical tensions in the region warrant an investigation. Russia has denied any involvement in the breaches. It is hoped that China will cooperate with the request to move the ship for further investigation. Previous incidents in the Baltic Sea, such as damaged telecoms cables in 2023, are also under scrutiny for potential Chinese involvement. The intent behind the recent cable breaches remains uncertain, with investigations ongoing.

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