By John Feng

Copyright newsweek

A Finnish newspaper has reported growing security concerns in the country over the Chinese ownership of a firm that operates underwater data cables in the Baltic Sea.

Helsingin Sanomat reported that there was increased scrutiny over the Chinese state-owned firm Citic Telecom CPC, through its subsidiaries, owning the three telecommunications cables linking Finland, Estonia, and Sweden.

Although there are no allegations of wrongdoing by the firm, the head of Finland’s National Cyber Security Centre told the paper that Beijing’s link was of concern because whoever controlled the cable had access to its data traffic.

Sari Arho Havrén, senior adviser for Business Finland, told Newsweek that as the cables are critical infrastructure, their control by China “is indeed problematic.”

Newsweek reached out to CITIC Telecom CPC for comment.

Why It Matters

Finland, the European Union, and the United States have recently raised concerns about Beijing’s links to data cables, citing worries about national security, data integrity, and geopolitical stability over this vital infrastructure for NATO countries.

What To Know

The story by Helsingin Sanomat outlines how Citic Telecom CPC company, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates three Baltic Sea cables that carry information from private individuals, companies, and authorities.

A map by Newsweek illustrates the extent of this network, which comprises three separate routes: one between Finland and Estonia, a second between Finland and Sweden, and a third between Estonia and Sweden.