Sweden has sent a formal request to China to cooperate with an investigation into suspected sabotage over the sudden disruption of two submarine internet cables in the Baltic Sea earlier this month, after tracking data linked a Chinese ship to the incidents.

The cutting of two undersea cables prompted warnings of "sabotage" and potential "hybrid" warfare in the West amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

On Friday, November 29, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its willingness to cooperate with relevant countries to address the issue of the destruction of two telecommunications cables at the bottom of the Baltic Sea.

Multiple countries are investigating and the authorities in Europe say they have not ruled out sabotage. But U.S. intelligence officials have assessed that the cables were not cut deliberately.

Sweden's prime minister says his government has formally asked China to cooperate in explaining the recent rupture of data cables on the Baltic Sea bed in an area where a China-flagged vessel was sighted.

A Chinese ship is suspected of severing two critical internet cables in the Baltic Sea in an act of sabotage that may have been orchestrated by Russia.

BEIJING - China said on Nov 29 it was “willing to work” with a probe into the severing of two Baltic Sea cables linked to a Chinese ship, after Sweden asked for Beijing’s cooperation with the investigation. “China is willing to work with relevant countries to find out the truth,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a regular briefing.

Following request for assistance from Sweden in investigation, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman says Beijing ready to 'work with relevant countries to uncover the truth' - Anadolu Ajansı

Sweden has sent China a formal request to cooperate with its investigation into damage sustained by two undersea cables in the Baltic Sea.

Two cables in the Baltic Sea linking Sweden to Lithuania, and Finland to Germany, were damaged.