There's speculation the vessel may have been involved in the severing of two fiber-optic cables on the seabed

European allies in the Baltic region are investigating how two fiber-optic data cables were severed earlier this week, with suspicion falling on a Chinese vessel in the area. Germany has said the incident was clearly sabotage.

  • corroded@lemmy.worldEnglish
    19·
    12 days ago

    This makes me wonder why the point of this was. What does China gain by severing a communications cable? Traffic is just going to be re-routed over other links, so all they’re really doing is marginally slowing down internet connectivity in the region.

    Is this just a way to send a message that they’re willing do damage communication infrastructure?

    • gcheliotis@lemmy.worldEnglish
      64·
      12 days ago

      It’s weird. But I also remember how many were quick to point to Russia for blowing up a pipeline and much later it turned out Russia had nothing to do with it.

      • GreenKnight23@lemmy.worldEnglish
        14·
        11 days ago

        yeah… no. it was Russia.

        The Ukrainian that was wanted for this crime was captain of a vessel that was far too small to handle all the diving equipment and explosives needed to do the damage that was sustained.

    • whithom@discuss.onlineEnglish
      26·
      12 days ago

      Preventing its increasing dissent by cutting off access to the outside world and painting a picture of china how they want its people to see.

    • dlatch@lemmy.worldEnglish
      142·
      12 days ago

      To show they can. It’s a signal to Europe that they know where our infrastructure is and that they can get to it.

      • uis@lemm.eeEnglish
        8·
        11 days ago

        It’s a signal to Europe that they know where our infrastructure is

        …it’s public information

    • barsoap@lemm.eeEnglish
      91·
      12 days ago

      I’m not sure the Chinese are to blame the captain was Russian.

  • barsoap@lemm.eeEnglish
    125·
    12 days ago

    …no it isn’t, it’s anchored in the Kattegat. What’s it with Americans and geography.

    “The vessel was anchored in the Caribbean, ten miles east of Charleston” is what you sound like.

      • barsoap@lemm.eeEnglish
        13·
        11 days ago

        The publication is American. Either he knew better and the editor “corrected” him as to “not confuse” the audience or he didn’t, or didn’t care to double-check, which just means that VOA has no standards when it comes to their correspondents knowing geography. Or their editors, who should catch such obvious mistakes.