China Mobile International, a leading telecommunications company, is strategizing a new route to link terrestrial cables in Central Asia with Hong Kong’s submarine network. The objective is to facilitate more efficient data transmission between Central Asian countries, colloquially known as the “stan” countries, and the rest of the world, according to a senior executive.
Kevin Chan Kin-fan, the head of carrier business at the company, highlighted the burgeoning telecommunications sector in Central Asia as a significant opportunity. He further stated that China Mobile is prepared to offer technical services to support mainland Chinese firms venturing into the region.
Chan’s optimistic outlook on the region’s development comes ahead of Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s inaugural official visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan scheduled for early June.
“Central Asian countries, being landlocked, lack the necessary physical conditions for direct submarine cable connections. Conversely, Hong Kong boasts one of the world’s highest densities of submarine cable landing stations and international data exchange centres,” Chan explained.
China Mobile aims to capitalize on this advantage to connect Central Asia’s terrestrial fibre-optic networks to Hong Kong. A route has been operational for several years, linking Hong Kong, mainland China, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Europe.
