US companies’ plan for Australia-China net cable leaves Huawei trailing

The US submarine cable company SubCom said on Thursday it would lay an internet link from Australia to Hong Kong through Papua New Guinea, deepening its involvement in a region where China’s Huawei TechnologiesNSE 0.28 % has sought to expand.

The route is the most direct internet link yet between Australia and China. It includes a connection to Madang in PNG and possible branches to Port Moresby and to Honiara in the Solomon Islands — connections Huawei had agreed to make before Australia blocked its project last year on security grounds.