US questions sea lines
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The US FCC is targeting undersea cable security risks amid rising tensions.
The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will vote next month on a comprehensive review of its oversight on global undersea communication cables, the first major update since 2001.
This review, addressing the cables that carry over 95 per cent of international internet traffic, is expected to examine security risks tied to potential sabotage and espionage by foreign adversaries, particularly Russia and China.
FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel stressed the need for updated regulation, pointing to significant changes in technology, economic pressures, and security risks.
“Over the past two decades, the technology, economics, and security challenges involving these systems have greatly changed, but FCC oversight has not,” Rosenworcel said.
She confirmed that the FCC will vote on November 21 to consider revising these critical rules.
The initiative has bipartisan support, with eight senators urging the Biden administration to prioritise a review of vulnerabilities in undersea cable infrastructure.
Leading this call, Republican Senator Todd Young and Democrat Chris Murphy cited “the threat of sabotage by Russia” and China’s expanding role in cable construction and repair as urgent issues.
The senators’ letter said a review was “imperative” to safeguard the infrastructure.
The US has historically barred China from participating in undersea cable projects, citing espionage risks.
In 2020, regulators blocked four cables proposed to connect the US and Hong Kong, and agencies have also discouraged international partners from awarding cable contracts to China.
Recent FCC moves also include mandating China Telecom and China Mobile to discontinue US operations due to security concerns, while pushing for new measures to strengthen internet data protection.
The review comes amid questions around whether the US has sufficient cable-laying and repair vessels to support secure infrastructure.
Senators including Marco Rubio and Tim Kaine asked the administration about its “strategy to guarantee the security of America’s undersea infrastructure” and cooperative efforts with allies on securing global cables.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington has criticised the US, accusing it of “turning undersea cables into a political and security issue” that disrupts international digital connectivity.
The embassy argued that US policies unfairly block developing countries from building their own cable networks.