The U.S. is backing a $14 billion cable to keep Southeast Asia’s internet out of China’s reach
As the U.S. and China race to build rival subsea networks, countries "may be faced with accommodating two parallel tech stacks," one analyst says.
The U.S. government is investing $14 billion to construct a new trans-Pacific internet cable that intentionally avoids the South China Sea. This initiative aims to keep Southeast Asia's digital infrastructure separate from Chinese influence. The project, funded by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), will establish a subsea cable connecting Thailand, the U.S., and five other Southeast Asian countries.
Research fellow Muhammad Faizal Bin Abdul Rahman from Singapore's Nanyang Technological University (NTU) highlights the geopolitical risks of subsea cables, particularly in regions with military tensions like the Middle East and Europe. The cable will skirt the South China Sea due to concerns over China's territorial claims and potential cyber or physical disruptions.
Southeast Asian nations are divided in their allegiances, with some, like Singapore, joining the U.S.-led Pax Silica alliance, while others, such as the Philippines, have joined Beijing's World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization. The new cable is expected to cost over $14 billion and may pass through Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
The aging Asia-America Gateway cable, connecting the U.S. and Thailand, often experiences frequent outages, especially within the intra-Asia section between Singapore and Hong Kong. Operators and insurers prefer cables that avoid the South China Sea due to the potential for disruptions and additional maintenance costs. If built, the proposed cable could serve as a next-generation successor to the aging Asia-America Gateway cable.
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