China says ready to ‘work with’ Baltic Sea cut cables probe

China said on Friday it was ready to assist in a probe into the severing of two cables in the Baltic Sea.

It comes after Sweden asked for Beijing’s cooperation in the probe into the rupture of two data cables on November 17-18 in an area where a China-flagged vessel had been sighted.

Both cables were restored as of Friday morning, their respective operators said.

What did China say about the investigation into the cut cables?

China’s Foreign Ministry said that Beijing wanted to help clarify the issue.

“China is willing to work with relevant countries to find out the truth,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said.

“Currently, China and Sweden are maintaining close communication on this issue,” she said.

The China-flagged Yi Peng 3 bulk carrier was seen in the area at the time of the rupture and has been moored in the Kattegat Strait, in international waters between Sweden and Denmark.

Cable repaired ‘faster than expected’

Also on Friday, network operators said that the two cables were back to normal functioning.

“The fault was repaired slightly faster than expected,” said the CEO of Finnish network operator Cinia, Ari-Jussi Knaapila.

He said that the cable that ran between Finland and Germany had been “fully restored.”

Swedish telecommunications operator Arelion said late on Thursday that its cable running from Sweden to Lithuania had also been repaired.

Sweden calls for inspection

Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Stockholm would like the ship to move to Swedish waters for an inspection.

“As I had said before, Sweden has expressed our desire for the ship to move to Swedish waters and we are in contact with China from Sweden,” Kristersson said.

“Today I can also tell you that in addition to that Sweden has also sent a formal request to China to cooperate with Swedish authorities in order to create clarity on what has happened.”

Finnish, Swedish and Lithuanian authorities established a joint team to look into the rupture and Germany also launched investigations.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said he believed the cables were likely damaged in an act of sabotage.

Russia has dismissed claims by European officials that Moscow was involved in the alleged sabotage as “absurd” and “laughable.”

sdi/zc (AFP, AP, Reuters)