The United States is supporting the development of a new undersea internet cable connecting several Pacific islands, according to a plan seen by Reuters. The project, known as the Central Pacific Cable, aims to strengthen US interests in the region as it competes with China for influence. The cable would link American Samoa and Guam, two US territories, and extend to up to 12 more Pacific islands, including Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Fiji, and Nauru.
The proposed cable route was displayed at an industry conference in Singapore by Paul McCann and John Hibbard, veteran subsea cable consultants. The feasibility study for the project is being conducted by APTelecom, a US-based telecoms consultancy. The funding for the cable will likely come from multilateral donors such as the World Bank, as well as aid agencies in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.
Undersea internet cables, which transmit the majority of transcontinental internet traffic, have become a focal point of competition between the United States and China. The Pacific islands, strategically important for US naval movements and rich in valuable resources, have vulnerable internet infrastructure. In fact, Tonga was cut off from global telecommunication networks for a month last year after its only undersea cable was damaged by a volcanic eruption and tsunami.
The Biden administration has expressed a commitment to help Pacific island nations counter China’s economic coercion attempts. Last year, China signed a security agreement with the Solomon Islands, raising concerns about the militarization of the region. To counter Chinese influence, the United States, Australia, and Japan have also agreed to revive the East Micronesia Cable project, connecting Nauru, Kiribati, and Micronesia.
By backing the development of the Central Pacific Cable, the United States is aiming to strengthen its position in the Pacific and ensure reliable and secure internet connectivity for the region.