cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/36813071
Here is the full report (pdf).
China and Russia’s deepening strategic partnership Despite a shared history of rivalry, conflict and mistrust, today China and Russia share a broad interest in undermining what leaders in both countries perceive to be a world order dominated by the West. Both countries see the US as their prime adversary, and undermining NATO – the strongest US-led alliance – as a common goal, according to a report published by the China Strategic Risks Institute in the UK (CSRI).
[...]
These shared interests are the backdrop to a deepening strategic partnership between Russia and China, in which the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific are increasingly perceived by both actors as a unified security theatre.
TLDR:
Undersea cables underpin economic security and global prosperity in the digital age, carrying 99% of intercontinental data traffic. Undersea cables are vital for both civilian and defence infrastructure, including future AI-powered technologies.
A series of suspicious breakages in the Baltic Sea and Taiwan Strait indicate that China and Russia may be using undersea sabotage as part of broader grey-zone operations against their adversaries – including NATO and its member states.
This paper examines 12 suspected undersea cable sabotage cases from January 2021 to April 2025. Of the 10 with identified vessels, 8 are linked to China or Russia by flag or ownership.
The involvement of Chinese vessels in cable breakages in Europe, and Russian vessels near Taiwan, suggests plausible China-Russia coordination amid deepening ties in both the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific.
As a key hub in Euro-Atlantic cable infrastructure, the UK is a likely target for future Russian and Chinese grey-zone operations – posing a new and complex challenge for its maritime defence and surveillance systems.
The UK must be clear-eyed and proactive in addressing grey-zone threats to undersea infrastructure. Recommendations include:
Enhancing monitoring and surveillance: The UK should use NATO mechanisms to regularly share best practice and intelligence on undersea cable threats, including Russia and China’s shadow fleets, and extend cooperation to experienced partners like Taiwan and Japan.
Strengthening mechanisms for accountability: International law on undersea cables is outdated and insufficient. The UK should work with partners to strengthen accountability powers through utilising Port State Controls and publishing vessel blacklists. It must also tighten domestic laws and establish protocols for rapid pursuit, interdiction, and detention of suspect vessels.
Improving redundancy, repair and resilience: The UK government should work with private operators to ensure guaranteed access to cable repair vessels capabilities during crises or national emergencies, as well as strategic stockpiling of cable repair parts.
Never heard of that source before, does anyone know how trustworthy they are?
They look like a mouthpiece for US warhawks.
This has a lot of info on one of the directors.
https://www.csri.global/margaret
...
https://www.csri.global/about
yawn yup it is what it said on the tin
@[email protected]
You say, "They look like a mouthpiece for US warhawks", only then to cite from the about page, "Margaret has been outspoken about arbitrary detention and human rights in China."
So are people who are outspoken about arbitrary detention and human rights in China "US warhawks"?
And what is a good source on that topic? Just be frank.
I actually think a decent amount of US propaganda is mostly truthful, some of it is awful but it is a generalization to say it is all cynical even if the end result is cynical.
I don't dismiss these concerns, it makes sense that somebody living in Taiwan or Honk Kong might have very serious concerns about China. Not only that but I also recognize I can't understand the nuance from my ignorant perspective that is necessary to judge the motivations of the political forces involved here.
China is an empire, it is a civilization masquerading as a country because that is the name we use to describe truly powerful things in this age, but it is no matter I am not interested in defending China (nor am I interested in sweeping the crimes of the empire I live within under the rug to talk about shit I am not qualified to talk about either though......) at all I simply recognize when people are gesturing at a vague fear of it, or at very real but incredibly hard to judge injustices I am only able to perceive through a curtain of both my countries' insane bias and also China's insane bias.
shrugs
Try to draw a line between me and you at your peril for I will point out to the crowd around us that you are a grumpy child scrawling meaningless symbols onto the pavement with chalk in a sad simulcrum of a child's play.
Except a bit of researching shows they're mostly Taiwan/HK/UK based. And you'd have to be an idiot to not know why someone from Taiwan and HK might be cautious about China.
What sources relevant to this topic did you hear of that are reliable?
None, hence my question.