A new cooperation framework focused on protecting undersea infrastructure, known as the Guidelines for Undersea Infrastructure Defence and Exchange, was launched by 17 countries during the recent Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
Notably, both China and the United States were not among the signatories to this voluntary and non-binding set of principles.
The Asia-Pacific region is home to extensive submarine cable networks, such as the Asia Pacific Gateway system, which spans over 10,000 kilometers and connects major communication hubs including Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, China, and Vietnam.
Initiating Participants
The signatory nations include Singapore, Estonia, Finland, France, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Qatar, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
Defense ministers or representatives from these countries attended the initiative's launch ceremony.
Framework Objectives and Statements
Speaking at the event, Singapore's Defense Minister highlighted that sea lanes are not just trade routes but also carry critical underwater infrastructure for energy and telecommunications.
He noted that significant work remains in establishing international norms for the installation, maintenance, and protection of such infrastructure from deliberate sabotage.
The minister indicated that many other countries have expressed interest in joining, though some require domestic approval processes.
Principles and Potential Cooperation
The guidelines outline principles such as respecting sovereignty and jurisdiction and emphasize acting in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Potential areas for collaboration listed in the document include cross-regional information sharing and enhancing crisis response capabilities.
Analyst Perspectives on Major Power Absence
Some analysts suggest the absence of major powers could create gaps in technical expertise and resource availability for the cooperation project.
One researcher pointed out that participating countries would lack access to the significant technical knowledge and capabilities possessed by superpowers.
Another expert noted that while the lack of major power involvement is not ideal, cooperation might be more manageable without them.
A separate analyst observed that the signatory countries are generally highly digitized and economically dependent on foreign trade, sharing similar risks and common interests in underwater infrastructure security.
She stated that even short disruptions to data transmission or energy pipelines could result in significant economic and political costs for these nations.
This analyst also suggested that launching the guidelines without China, the US, and Russia could be interpreted as a form of "soft balancing" by like-minded countries.
She expressed concern that while agreeing on principles is relatively easy, the real challenge lies in implementation, such as building monitoring systems and repair capabilities.
China's Stance and International Context
China has consistently advocated for the international community to strengthen cooperation in jointly safeguarding the security of submarine infrastructure.
In a previous statement, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson emphasized that submarine cables are vital infrastructure supporting global data exchange and carry about 99% of intercontinental communications traffic.
The spokesperson stated that China will continue to work with the international community to enhance bilateral, regional, and international dialogue and cooperation, advance the construction of global information infrastructure including submarine cables, and jointly improve protection to elevate global digital connectivity.
International concerns over critical infrastructure security continue to face challenges from geopolitical maneuvering.
The deliberate sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines in 2022 shocked the world, with subsequent investigations by Denmark, Sweden, and Germany excluding Russian participation, leaving many questions about the major underwater infrastructure incident unanswered.
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