全球海底光缆网络空间格局与战略支点及通道的识别

Spatial pattern of global submarine cable network and identification of strategic pivot and strategic channel

海底光缆作为大型连通性基础设施,在国际电信、社会经济乃至国防安全等领域发挥着至关重要的作用,但当前对全球海底光缆网络空间格局的了解相对有限。基于此,本文对全球海底光缆的分布格局、连通格局进行分析,并对其战略支点、战略通道进行识别。结果表明:①全球海底光缆的空间分布具有显著非均衡性,海缆线路与海上航线极为相似,登陆站点沿海岸线不均匀地集聚分布。②全球海底光缆网络的连通格局具有显著的尺度累加效应,在微观、中观、宏观视角下连通结构分别呈链式、组团式和轴辐式。③全球海底光缆网络的战略支点和战略通道呈金字塔式等级结构,新加坡的战略支点地位和亚丁湾、马六甲海峡的战略通道地位最高。在此基础上可进一步划分出6个战略区域,其战略意义和安全风险各异,需要给予特别关注和警惕。

As a kind of large-scale connectivity infrastructure, submarine cables play a vital role in international telecommunication, socio-economic development, and national defense and security. However, the current understanding about the spatial pattern of global submarine optical cable network is relatively limited. In this article, we analyze the spatial distribution and connectivity pattern of global submarine cables, and identify their strategic pivots and strategic channels. The main conclusions are as follows:(1) The spatial distribution of global submarine cables is significantly unbalanced, which is characterized by the facts that the distribution of submarine cable lines is similar to that of sea lanes, and the agglomerations of landing stations are distributed unevenly along the coastline.(2) The connectivity pattern of global submarine cable network has a significant scale effect. At the micro, meso and macro scales, the connectivity structure presents chain model, cluster model and hub-and-spoke model,respectively.(3) The distribution of strategic pivots and strategic channels shows a pyramidal hierarchical feature. Singapore ranks highest among all the strategic pivots, while the Gulf of Aden and the Strait of Malacca rank highest among the strategic channels. Based on the identification of strategic pivots and channels, 6 strategic regions have been divided, which face various network security risks and need special attention and vigilance.