US and allies must get tough on Russia, Chinas deep-sea cable sabotage

Russia and China have no qualms about going low to gain an advantage over the United States — and now they’re going even lower, targeting subsea cables that carry the vast majority of our and our allies’ internet traffic, phone calls and trillions of dollars’ worth of financial transactions daily.Over the past several months both Moscow and Beijing, seeking to disrupt and intimidate the West, have intensified their attacks on undersea infrastructure, forcing the United States and its allies and partners to protect these critical connections.Perceiving themselves in a long-term conflict with the United States but fearful of American military and economic might, both Russia and China have embraced more discreet means to undermine Washington.Rather than challenge us militarily, they’re using “grey zone” measures, such as damaging critical infrastructure, to cause societal chaos and damage readiness without prompting painful retaliation.The ripple effects of these efforts are readily apparent.Taiwan’s Coast Guard reported this week that an undersea fiber-optic cable running between Taiwan and its outlying islands had been cut — severed, they alleged, by a ship crewed by Chinese nationals and backed by Chinese capital.It was far from an isolated incident: In February 2024, a Chinese fishing boat dropped anchors on two undersea cables connecting Taiwan with its outlying island of Matsu.Meanwhile, US officials warned in May that Chinese repair ships or advanced uncrewed undersea vehicles may also be tampering with undersea cables.Russia has been a prime suspect in similar sabotage efforts in its own neighborhood.Confronted by NATO’s conventional military might, Moscow has embraced more subtle tactics to disrupt European security without triggering retaliation.In December, a vessel in the Russian “shadow fleet” that evades Western sanctions allegedly dragged its anchor across one power cable and four communications cables connecting Finland, Estoni...