China says ready to 'work with' Baltic Sea cut cables probe

China said connected Friday it was acceptable to assistance successful a probe into the severing of 2 cables successful the Baltic Sea.

It comes aft Sweden asked for Beijing's practice successful the probe into the rupture of 2 information cables connected November 17-18 successful an country wherever a China-flagged vas had been sighted.

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

What did China accidental astir the probe into the chopped cables?

China's Foreign Ministry said that Beijing wanted to assistance clarify the issue.

"China is consenting to enactment with applicable countries to find retired the truth," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said.

"Currently, China and Sweden are maintaining adjacent connection connected this issue," she said.

The China-flagged Yi Peng 3 bulk bearer was seen successful the country astatine the clip of the rupture and has been moored successful the Kattegat Strait, successful planetary waters betwixt Sweden and Denmark.

The Yi Peng 3 bearer has been anchored betwixt Denmark and Sweden since November 18Image: Mikkel Berg Pedersen/Ritzau Scanpix/picture alliance

Cable repaired 'faster than expected'

Also connected Friday, web operators said that the 2 cables were backmost to mean functioning.

"The responsibility was repaired somewhat faster than expected," said the CEO of Finnish web relation Cinia, Ari-Jussi Knaapila.

He said that the cable that ran betwixt Finland and Germany had been "fully restored."

Swedish telecommunications relation Arelion said precocious connected Thursday that its cablegram moving from Sweden to Lithuania had besides been repaired.

Sweden calls for inspection

Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Stockholm would similar the vessel to determination to Swedish waters for an inspection.

"As I had said before, Sweden has expressed our tendency for the vessel to determination to Swedish waters and we are successful interaction with China from Sweden," Kristersson said.

"Today I tin besides archer you that successful summation to that Sweden has besides sent a ceremonial petition to China to cooperate with Swedish authorities successful bid to make clarity connected what has happened."

Finnish, Swedish and Lithuanian authorities established a associated squad to look into the rupture and Germany besides launched investigations.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said helium believed the cables were apt damaged successful an enactment of sabotage.

Russia has dismissed claims by European officials that Moscow was progressive successful the alleged sabotage arsenic "absurd" and "laughable."

sdi/zc (AFP, AP, Reuters)