Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong, during her visit to Tokyo for the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting, announced that Australia will construct a new undersea cable centre in the Indo-Pacific region. This initiative aims to bolster the region’s digital infrastructure and counter cyber security threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The Quad, a strategic partnership between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, focuses on promoting stability in the Indo-Pacific, a region crucial to the global economy.
Australia plans to invest $18 million over the next four years in establishing the Cable Connectivity and Resilience Centre. This center will facilitate technical assistance, training, research, analysis, and information sharing among governments and industry partners across the Indo-Pacific. The Quad leaders approved this project during a summit in 2023, highlighting its significance in addressing the region’s pressing challenges.
The construction of the centre is set to commence in the upcoming months, with the Foreign Affairs Department initiating the process of securing a lead contractor in August. Australia has committed to investing $350 million in undersea cable infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific through collaborations with countries like East Timor, Palau, East Micronesia, Tonga, and Tuvalu. These undersea cables are vital for transmitting 95 percent of international data and supporting global telecommunication networks.
According to a report by the United States Study Centre, Chinese companies have emerged as key players in the global undersea cable sector, raising concerns among Australia and its partners. These companies, such as HMN Tech, have contributed significantly to the industry’s growth, with China aiming to expand its share of the global undersea cable network by 2030. The report also warns of potential cyber threats posed by China-built undersea cable infrastructure, including cyber warfare, espionage, and intellectual property theft.
Moreover, a leaked report revealed the CCP’s alleged interception of communications from undersea cables in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly targeting nations like the Marshall Islands and Nauru. This interception could grant China access to sensitive military, economic, and financial communications in the region.
In response to these challenges, the establishment of the Cable Connectivity and Resilience Centre underscores Australia’s commitment to the Quad Partnership and its proactive approach in addressing the Indo-Pacific’s evolving security landscape. Please rewrite this sentence.
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