Google and Facebook have abandoned the plan to lay an undersea cable from the United States to Hong Kong. This comes after an intensifying trade ware between China and the US. The Trump administration made the claim that the link may be used to spy on American companies and citizens.
The project to lay the undersea cable has now been refiled for the Philippines and Taiwan. The revised proposal was submitted quickly and includes the same vision the original plan had, with the exception of Hong Kong.
Tensions escalate
The tensions between the U.S. and China are escalating. The U.S. has banned Huawei and wants to remove TikTok from its Chinese owner. Included in the tension is the treatment of Uighurs in China and Beijing tightening their grip on Hong Kong.
America has been pointing fingers at prominent high-tech products from China, which they say are used in spying and bad blood resulting from the coronavirus which started in the Hubei province in China.
As he pushes his bid for re-election, Trump has leaned in on his anti-China sentiments and other aggressive actions.
A revised plan
Google and Facebook propose the Pacific Light Cable Network project in 2017 that listed Taiwan, the Philippines and Hong Kong. Google was awarded the permission to operate the line linking to Taiwan for six months, in April.
A spokesperson from Alphabet, said that they continue to work through open channels to get their cable landing licenses for the tech giant’s cables. The spokesperson said that the original application has been withdrawn and a revised version has been submitted.
Facebook did not say anything publicly and referred all requests for information to FCC filings.
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