The Philippine Coast Guard has expressed concerns that Chinese research vessels may be targeting undersea cables near Japan. These cables are crucial for global internet communications, and damaging them could have significant consequences.
What happened
Chinese research vessels have been spotted in the waters near the Philippines, Taiwan, and Japan, apparently mapping the routes of vital undersea cables without permission. The Philippine Coast Guard pointed to a Chinese ship called Jia Hai Ke 7, which spent several days inside the exclusive economic zone around the Batanes Islands without permission.
When the Philippine Coast Guard sent patrol craft to escort the vessel away, two Chinese Coast Guard ships appeared to defend it. Similar incidents have been reported near Japan, where Chinese research vessels have been making sharp turns in the waters, seemingly while tracking undersea internet cables.
In recent months, four Chinese survey ships have been spotted off the coast of Taiwan, making irregular moves that suggested they were mapping undersea cables. These actions have raised concerns among regional governments, with Japan and the Philippines increasing their surveillance capabilities over the undersea cables.
The potential destruction of these cables could knock out over 90 percent of the world's online communications, making them a critical infrastructure for regional and global security.
