Google and Facebook will not, after all, build their long-planned undersea cable between the US and Hong Kong, Bloomberg reported. The move comes after the officials in the US government said the link could be could be used by China to collect information on US citizens. Instead, the companies have submitted a revised proposal that includes links to Taiwan and the Philippines. The new filing does not include Hong Kong-based Pacific Light Data Communication Co, a partner in the original plan and a concern for US security agencies that cited its links to mainland China’s Dr. Peng Telecom & Media Group Co. US President Donald Trump has taken a tough stance on China as he pursues re-election.
The companies proposed the Pacific Light Cable Network project in 2017, listing all Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Philippines as its trans-Pacific destinations. On 17 June, the US Justice Department asked the FCC to deny the link to Hong Kong. US security agencies recommended that the FCC approve parts of the project connecting the US to Taiwan and the Philippines. Google was allowed in April to operate the portion linking Taiwan for six months.
