Investigation into Baltic Sea Cable Breaches: Chinese Ship Under Scrutiny
Recently, China allowed representatives from Germany, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark to board a Chinese bulk carrier, the Yi Peng 3, which is at the center of an investigation into Baltic Sea cable breaches. The Danish foreign minister confirmed this development on Thursday.
The Yi Peng 3 vessel is under scrutiny in Sweden for a breach of two undersea fiber-optic cables in November. The ship has been stationary in nearby waters for a month while diplomatic discussions took place between Stockholm and Beijing.
Investigators honed in on the ship, which departed from the Russian port of Ust-Luga on November 15. A Reuters analysis of MarineTraffic data revealed that the vessel’s coordinates aligned with the time and location of the cable breaches.
The damaged Baltic Sea cables connect Finland and Germany, as well as Sweden to Lithuania. The breaches occurred on November 17-18, leading German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius to suggest sabotage as the cause.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen facilitated a meeting earlier this week between representatives from the four countries involved, helping to resolve the month-long standoff.
Sweden’s police participated on board the vessel as observers while Chinese authorities conducted investigations. The preliminary investigation into sabotage in connection with the cable breaks is ongoing.
Western intelligence officials believe the Chinese ship was responsible for cutting both cables. However, opinions differ on whether the acts were accidental or deliberate.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson urged the ship to return to Sweden to aid the investigation. China’s foreign ministry stated that Beijing is fully engaged in communication with the involved countries for a joint investigation.
China expressed willingness to collaborate with relevant parties to safely resolve the incident. The situation remains fluid as the investigation progresses.
(Reporting by Louise Breusch Rasmussen, Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen, and Isabelle Yr Carlsson in Copenhagen, reporting by Liz Lee and Mei Mei Chu in Beijing, editing by Terje Solsvik and Keith Weir)