A Chinese commercial vessel that has been surrounded by European warships in international waters for a week is central to an investigation of suspected sabotage that threatens to test the limits of maritime law—and heighten tensions between Beijing and European capitals.

Western officials believe that Moscow likely orchestrated the Baltic Sea incident as part of growing efforts to cripple key maritime infrastructure.

Sweden has demanded that the Chinese vessel connected to an investigation of two Internet cables in the Baltic Sea being damaged earlier this month return to its waters as part of the probe.

Sweden is asking a Chinese vessel to return to Swedish waters to help facilitate an investigation into recent breaches of undersea fibre-optic cables in the Baltic Sea, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Tuesday,

Sweden’s authorities have requested that the Chinese vessel linked to broken data cables in the Baltic Sea move closer to its waters, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said.

Sweden is asking that a Chinese vessel moves into Swedish waters to help facilitate the Nordic country's investigation into recent breaches of undersea fibre-optic cables in the Baltic Sea, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Tuesday.

We have been in contact with the ship and with China, and have stated that we want the ship to move toward Swedish waters, stated Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. Since last week, the bulk carrier has been in international waters in the Kattegat Strait.