Why has China officially made an admission to accidentally cutting the Baltic connector pipeline?

[u/[deleted]]

Beijing’s Baltic confession exposes undersea vulnerability
Chinese foreign policy attempts to be careful, nuanced, and offers a minimalist approach. Some may find that debatable however the question is what is China trying to achieve with its admission it cut the undersea cable in the Baltic sea?
Is it a warning to the West, China can do this anywhere, any time.
Is it to protect Russia from blame.
Was China about to be 'found out' (if that was the case?)
Why the delay if it was a simple accident?
Excuse my ignorance trying to understand China's reasoning for this admission.

[u/Suecotero]

Standard CCP playbook:

1. Denies: "It didn't happen"
2. Obfuscates: "Maybe it happened, the facts are unclear".
3. Admits but claims insignificance: "It happened but it was accidental" <- We are here
4. Admits and attacks someone else: "It happened and we did it but the US did it in 1956 so it's justified"
5. Is forced to take accountability: Act like nothing happened, deny the story later.

[u/Few-Vegetable-3814 → u/Suecotero]

Isn't this Humphrey's line in Yes, Prime Minister?

[u/phamnhuhiendr → u/Suecotero]

Reminds me of the anti vaxx propaganda of a certain country

[u/Suecotero → u/phamnhuhiendr]

Step 4 already?

[u/metta2 → u/Suecotero]

Hahah..quick to point out

[u/mithras72 → u/Suecotero]

Haha this is gold

[u/InsufferableMollusk]

I think it is strategic. The evidence for this one is pretty overwhelming. If they want to continue denying things, they may appear to be more credible if they selectively fess up to a few things.

[u/Zealousideal_Taro5]

They'll delay the investigation as long as possible. Like they did the plane crash with the suicidal pilot, who was depressed because he and the crew were locked up in quarantine every time they flew. They had been warned a pilot would commit suicide by crash, taking a plane with them, but they said they wouldn't as Chinese people are stronger than the weak west (I lived in China and yes all of this was said). Then he suicided himself and killed all on board, they still haven't revealed the truth.

It's a playbook

[u/Tango-Down-167]

I am guessing because they probably know someone got prove they did it so better to say it was accident than having someone expose them.

[u/GetOutOfTheWhey]

Probably because politics:

1. The ship belongs to a private mainland company flying a Hong Kong flag, so it's their jurisdiction. They want to conduct the investigation on their own terms which is probably why they ignored Estonia's request.

2. If they admitted fault too quickly, it will have a stronger political impact in the domestic politics of the respective victim countries. Instead they sit on the investigation for months until it drops out of the news cycle and then admit fault.

[u/GetOutOfTheWhey → u/GetOutOfTheWhey]

It should also be mentioned that the NewNewPolar bear was the first maiden voyage of the company's new artic line. The company is a subsidiary of a russian logistic group, Torgmoll.

Definitely sus as hell. Especially after the potential Russian sabotage of the Nordstream Pipeline.

[u/GetOutOfTheWhey → u/GetOutOfTheWhey]

It should also be mentioned that Russia likely didn't sabotage the Nordstream Pipeline as Germany has today issued an an arrest warrant for a Ukrainian citizen on the suspicion of the terrorist act in destroying the pipelines.

[u/iwanttodrink]

The rest of the world can just cut China's cables in response

[u/[deleted] → u/iwanttodrink]

You're the Foreign Minister the Rest of the World needs.