America's adversaries, particularly China and Russia, are finding new ways to disrupt the global internet. Recent incidents include a Swedish ship accused of damaging an undersea cable and a Chinese ship that severed internet connections in the Baltic Sea. This non-cyber war for internet control reflects a larger strategy to weaken the U. S. and its allies.
China is prioritizing internet dominance as part of its 2015 Digital Silk Road initiative, aiming to lead in internet technology. Key to this effort is building undersea cables. By connecting other countries to the internet through Chinese infrastructure, Beijing can easily gather intelligence, promote its technologies, and monitor internet usage. Chinese firm Huawei formerly handled 15% of the internet's infrastructure before facing U. S. sanctions in 2019. Currently, Chinese companies plan to install around half of the underwater internet cables between 2023 and 2028.
While U. S. sanctions are effective, China employs alternative methods to disrupt the Western internet. Beijing obstructs internet projects in the South China Sea and intensifies sabotage operations. Targeting NATO's internet infrastructure is part of China's broader goal to undermine the U. S. NATO is seen as a threat by Beijing, which perceives all American alliances as hostile. The recent collaboration between Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin underscores this view as they oppose NATO's expansion. China and Russia's attacks on internet and energy infrastructure in Finland and Sweden highlight this conflict.
This approach, although seemingly strange, is a calculated move. China aims to isolate the U. S. diplomatically by showcasing NATO's decisions, like Sweden and Finland joining, as poor choices. Additionally, China is attempting to sway Taiwan to accept integration with the mainland through internet disruptions, propaganda, and military threats, all aiming to discourage resistance without a military invasion.
Losing Taiwan would have severe implications for the U. S. , not only due to its importance in semiconductor manufacturing but also because it would give China dominance over crucial shipping lanes that Japan and South Korea rely on. If those countries capitulate to China, the U. S. would struggle to maintain coalitions to counter Beijing's influence.
The vulnerability of undersea cables illustrates a larger strategic issue. In the post-Cold War era, the U. S. military controlled the global commons, and there was little concern for the security of these cables. Today, things have changed, and the significance of each cable increases as fewer remain.
Currently, the damage from China's attacks has been minimal, and traffic has been redirected without major issues. However, as the aggression continues without accountability, China's threats will appear more credible, increasing the risk to global internet infrastructure.
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