Taiwan is investigating a Chinese-owned cargo ship suspected of damaging an undersea internet cable northeast of the island.
„A Cameroon-registered freighter is being investigated for possibly damaging an undersea cable in waters off the northeastern coast of #Taiwan, the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said Saturday“ https://t.co/KiI5zHioNE
— Florian Flade (@FlorianFlade) January 5, 2025
The damaged cable, known as the Trans-Pacific Express Cable, was detected on Friday morning by Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan’s main telecommunications provider. The cable is vital for internet connections between Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, China, and the United States.
Despite the damage, communications were quickly rerouted, and no major outage was reported. The Taiwanese Coast Guard intercepted the cargo vessel near the northern city of Keelung.
7 PLA aircraft, 7 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 6 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s southwestern and eastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly. pic.twitter.com/7upF8m6ASJ
— 國防部 Ministry of National Defense, ROC(Taiwan) 🇹🇼 (@MoNDefense) January 6, 2025
The vessel, suspected of causing the damage, was owned by a Hong Kong company and crewed by seven Chinese nationals.
This incident raises concerns about the vulnerability of Taiwan’s critical infrastructure to potential threats from China.
Taiwan has asked South Korea for assistance investigating a Chinese-owned ship suspected of cutting a subsea cable off its northern coast on Friday.https://t.co/gA6XkRaELU
— Cornelius Dieckmann (@CoDieckmann) January 5, 2025
The undersea cables are crucial for keeping Taiwan connected to the internet but are susceptible to breakage by anchors dragged along the sea floor. Analysts and officials note that while it is challenging to prove whether such damage is intentional, it fits a pattern of intimidation and psychological warfare by China aimed at weakening Taiwan’s defenses.
This incident also comes amid heightened anxiety in Europe over the security of undersea communication cables.
Damaged undersea cable investigation continues
Recently, two fiber-optic cables under the Baltic Sea were damaged, prompting Sweden, Finland, and Lithuania to investigate the possible involvement of a Chinese-flagged commercial ship.
The investigation into the exact cause and intention behind the damage to Taiwan’s internet cable continues. The Taiwanese Coast Guard reported that their investigation has been hindered by adverse weather conditions. The damage is expected to be repaired by early February, according to officials.
The incident highlights the vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure and the potential for international disputes over maritime operations. China’s government has not commented on the incident. This comes after a Chinese bulk carrier was suspected of involvement in damage to undersea cables in the Baltic Sea in November.
Undersea connectivity has been repeatedly identified as a key vulnerability in Taiwan’s critical infrastructure defense against Chinese attacks. The Chinese government has vowed to annex Taiwan and has waged a long-standing campaign of military, legal, and cognitive harassment to pressure the island’s government and people. This week, Taiwan government bodies convened emergency meetings to review protection and response measures for submarine cable damage.
Ensuring connectivity is critical for informational operations and narrative control, which drives international support.
