Taiwan Investigates Potential Chinese Involvement in Undersea Cable Damage

Taiwan's telecommunications authorities are on high alert following the damage to a critical undersea internet cable, prompting an investigation into potential Chinese involvement, highlighting the security vulnerabilities facing the island nation.

Taiwanese authorities are currently investigating a cargo ship reportedly linked to China, which is suspected of having damaged an undersea internet cable located northeast of the island. The Taiwanese Coast Guard disclosed that seven Chinese nationals were aboard the Hong Kong-owned vessel, marking a concerning incident in Taiwan's ongoing struggle to safeguard its critical infrastructure against potential threats from China.

The damage to the cable serves as a reminder of Taiwan's susceptibility, particularly as the region grapples with heightened tensions and concerns about sabotage. Recently, similar incidents in Europe have spurred investigations into acts targeting undersea communication cables, including two fiber-optic cables that were severed in the Baltic Sea in November. This prompted Scandinavian authorities to halt a Chinese-flagged ship from the region as a precautionary measure.

In response to the cable damage detected on Friday, Taiwan's main telecommunications provider, Chunghwa Telecom, swiftly initiated rerouting of communications, managing to evade any major service disruptions. The damaged cable, known as the Trans-Pacific Express Cable, plays a critical role in connecting Taiwan to South Korea, Japan, China, and the United States.

The Coast Guard intercepted the suspected cargo vessel near Keelung, an area where multiple cables converge, which could represent a targeted risk due to the busy maritime traffic in the vicinity. While analysts assert that it is challenging to determine if the cable damage was deliberate, such incidents are perceived as part of a broader pattern of intimidation and psychological maneuvering by China aimed at undermining Taiwan's defenses.