Google and Facebook Inc. dropped plans for an undersea cable between the US and Hong Kong after the Trump administration said Beijing might use the link to collect information on Americans.
But the companies quickly submitted a revised proposal that includes links to Taiwan and the Philippines, as envisioned in the application that was withdrawn on Thursday. The new filing didn’t 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.
The steps come as tensions continue to escalate between the US and China over a series of conflicts. These include Beijing’s tightening grip on Hong Kong and its treatment of the Uighurs, a Muslim ethnic group; American accusations that Chinese high-tech products could be used for spying; and recriminations over the spread of the coronavirus from China’s Hubei province.
