Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning (Photo: Reuters).
At a press conference on October 23, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning affirmed: "At the time of the incident, Chinese ships were operating normally in that sea area. At that time, Chinese ships did not detect anything unusual."
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman also called for an "objective, fair and professional" investigation.
She stressed that China has always supported the international community in strengthening cooperation and ensuring the safety of transnational infrastructure.
The comments came shortly after Finnish police released a report that raised suspicions about a Chinese vessel because it appeared at the same time the Balticconnector gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia in the Baltic Sea ruptured on October 8.
Finnish authorities have deemed the incident a case of sabotage and have decided to temporarily suspend the pipeline and launch an investigation. According to the latest investigation report, Finland said the focus of the current investigation is the Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship Newnew Polar Bear.
The pipeline rupture has forced Finland to find alternative gas supplies over the winter while repairs are carried out, which are expected to take up to five months.
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