Taiwan Accuses Chinese Ship of Cutting Undersea Cable
Taiwan accuses the Chinese-owned cargo ship Shunxin-39 of cutting an undersea telecom cable off its northern coast on January 3, 2025, in suspected sabotage.
Taiwan accuses the Chinese-owned cargo ship Shunxin-39 of cutting an undersea telecom cable off its northern coast on January 3, 2025, in suspected sabotage.
Chunghwa Telecom reported four severed cable cores, but domestic communication remained unaffected due to robust backup systems in place.
Taiwan’s Coast Guard located Shunxin-39 near Yehliu and ordered it to Keelung Port. Adverse weather prevented officials from boarding the vessel.
The ship’s AIS signal disappeared soon after, raising suspicions. Investigations revealed its ownership ties to a Chinese citizen through a Hong Kong-based company.
Local media suspect this incident is part of China’s covert “gray-zone” tactics to probe Taiwan’s infrastructure resilience without triggering international consequences.
Similar incidents have occurred globally, including severed cables in the Baltic linked to Chinese and Russian vessels, prompting increased NATO patrols.
Taiwan is ramping up defenses, seeking EU support, and planning to deploy satellites to reduce reliance on vulnerable undersea cables.
As investigations continue, Taiwan pledges accountability and resilience, ensuring future threats are met with strengthened infrastructure and robust defenses.