Report names Google and Meta cables among the most vulnerable in the Pacific — Ars Technica
Cable projects by Google, Meta and Verizon were included in a list of ten trans-Pacific lines that an index assesses as the most vulnerable to potential sabotage and China’s “gray-zone” tactics. Ars Technica reports, citing a report published by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.
Highest risk near Taiwan
The Trans-Pacific Cable Vulnerability Index was prepared by the London-based China Strategic Risks Institute on behalf of the commission. Its authors considered the depth at which the lines are laid, the intensity of nearby shipping, ownership structures, the exclusive economic zone and China’s broader territorial claims, as well as the presence of a connection to Taiwan.
According to the researchers’ assessment, the highest risks are concentrated near Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines. Some cables connecting this region with the United States run through shallow waters and areas with active shipping. The five riskiest projects include the TPU project, in which Google holds a significant stake, Meta’s ORCA cable, and E2A, co-owned by Verizon and companies from Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.
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Risk of route congestion
The report notes that serious damage to even one trans-Pacific cable could overload the available capacity of direct routes between the United States, Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines. This could force data to be transmitted via slower and less direct paths. Simultaneous disruption of several lines, particularly during a geopolitical crisis around Taiwan, could significantly limit trans-Pacific capacity and affect internet communications, cloud services and financial transactions.
Study of vessel activity
A separate report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington analyzed the movements of more than 200 research vessels from various countries in 2020–2025. Its authors concluded that Chinese-flagged research vessels stood out for the length of time they spent near underwater infrastructure. Some of them followed routes characteristic of research work near cables rather than in areas of known mineral deposits on the seabed.
Most damage to submarine cables is caused by fishing trawls, ship anchors, storms or underwater landslides. At the same time, Chinese fishing and cargo vessels have figured in investigations into cable damage incidents in recent years, including near Taiwan. In 2025, Taiwan’s authorities for the first time sentenced a Chinese captain to three years in prison after his vessel damaged the Tai-Peng 3 cable connecting Taiwan with the Penghu Islands.
