Sweden’s foreign minister said China has rejected prosecutors’ request to investigate a Chinese ship linked to two severed Baltic Sea cables.
China says it has provided information and documents for an open investigation into the cutting of two Baltic Sea submarine cables, although Sweden claims Beijing has not been sufficiently transparent in the case.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said at a news conference in Beijing on Monday that China had invited Germany, Sweden, Finland and Denmark to participate in and complete the investigation.
Sections of two telecoms Cables were cut in November in Swedish territorial waters. Suspicion was directed at the Chinese cargo ship Yi Peng 3, which, according to ship tracking agencies, was traveling over the cables at the time of the disruption.
She spoke about the incident when asked about a Financial Times report that Sweden had criticized China for denying full access despite an open investigation and allegedly allowing a Swedish prosecutor to enter the Yi Peng 3 in connection with the cable break refused.
Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said China had not complied with the government’s request for the prosecutor to conduct the preliminary investigation on board.
“Our demand that Swedish prosecutors, including the police, should be allowed to take certain investigative measures as part of the preliminary investigation on board remains,” Stenergard told Reuters.
“We have made this very clear to China.”
Stenergard said Sweden hopes to continue its dialogue with China to give police and prosecutors the opportunity to investigate the cable breaks.
In response, Mao said: “In order to cooperate with the investigation, the Yi Peng 3 was suspended for a long period of time, and in order to protect the physical and mental health of the crew, the shipping company decided to resume its voyage after a while.” comprehensive assessment and consultation with the affected parties.”
She added that Beijing had notified all relevant countries in advance and was ready to maintain communication and cooperation.
On Thursday, authorities from Sweden, Germany and Finland were invited as observers for a China-led investigation.
A Danish representative also accompanied the group as the country played a “facilitating role” by hosting meetings between the countries earlier this week, Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen had said.
Prosecutor Henrik Soderman told AFP that no action had been taken as part of the Swedish judicial investigation, including questioning crew members or technical examinations.
After the damage to the Baltic Sea cables, one connecting Finland and Germany and the other Sweden to Lithuania, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said it was clear that this was the case I assume it was sabotage.
Investigators focused on the Chinese ship that left the Russian port of Ust-Luga on November 15, just two days before the cables were cut on November 17 and 18.
European officials have also said they suspect sabotage related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Kremlin dismissed the comments as “absurd” and “ridiculous.”
