Sweden seeks China's aid in probe of Baltic cable sabotage

"Sweden has sent a formal request to China seeking cooperation to help clarify what happened when two undersea cables were damaged in the Baltic Sea," said Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson at a press conference on Thursday, held in Harpsund, Sweden.

Kristersson emphasized that while this does not formally change the situation, it demonstrates Sweden's strong determination to inspect the Chinese ship Yi Peng 3 to thoroughly understand the circumstances of the incident.

"It expresses our determination to conduct a search of the vessel to find out what happened," stated Kristersson.

Since last week, the Chinese container ship Yi Peng 3 has been in international waters in the Kattegat Strait, monitored by the Danish navy and the Swedish coast guard. Swedish authorities have expressed a desire for the ship to enter their territorial waters, which would allow for a more thorough inspection of the vessel.

Damage to two undersea telecommunication cables occurred on November 17 and 18. One cable connected Lithuania with Sweden, and the other connected Finland with Germany. The incidents took place in the Swedish economic zone—southeast of the island of Gotland and south of the island of Öland.

According to "The Wall Street Journal," investigators suspect that the Yi Peng 3 intentionally cut the cables by dragging its anchor over a distance of more than 100 miles. The investigation is focused on determining whether Russian special services are behind the potential sabotage. The ship had previously departed from one of the Russian oil ports.

The Prime Minister of Sweden emphasized the importance of cooperation with China for fully clarifying the matter.