Chile pushes China-backed submarine cable, raising regional concerns

Photo: Dirección de Prensa, Presidencia de la República de Chile.

Chile is moving forward with the Chile-China Express, a submarine cable project linking its Pacific coast to Hong Kong. While it appears to be another step in global telecommunications, experts warn that the project’s lack of transparency and the implications of Chinese cybersecurity law make it a regional concern. 

Unlike the Humboldt cable, a Google-led initiative with a clear roadmap and public partners, the Chile-China Express has little information available about financing, consortium members, or contractual terms. This opacity is raising questions about accountability and governance. 

Since 2017, China’s Cybersecurity Law has required companies and citizens to cooperate with state intelligence services. In practice, this means data passing through Chinese-managed infrastructure could be made available to Beijing, beyond the control of Latin American governments. 

The project’s reach extends beyond Chile. Data traffic from Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Peru, Ecuador, and Paraguay could potentially be routed through the cable, exposing the region to vulnerabilities in digital sovereignty. Analysts argue the initiative forms part of China’s broader strategy to expand its global footprint through critical infrastructure and technological diplomacy. 

Past experiences reinforce concerns. Promised Chinese investments in Chile, such as Sinovac pharmaceutical plants and battery factories by BYD and Tsingshan, have been delayed, suspended, or canceled. At the same time, Western-backed projects like Google’s Humboldt cable have advanced with greater transparency.

* Original text in Spanish. Translated by Large Language Model (LLM) technology.

Main Source:

Chile impulsa un proyecto de cable submarino con China que pone en alerta a la región – Infobae

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