Taiwan’s coast guard has intercepted the Hongtai, a Togolese-flagged cargo vessel with an all-Chinese crew, on suspicion of severing an undersea communications cable.
The incident, which occurred in waters between Taiwan’s main island and the Penghu archipelago, has further heightened tensions between Taipei and Beijing.
Details of the Interception
Taiwanese authorities acted after telecommunications provider Chunghwa Telecom reported that one of its undersea cables had been severed approximately six nautical miles (11 kilometres) northwest of Jiangjun Fishing Harbor. According to the coast guard, the Hongtai had been anchored in the area since Saturday evening but failed to respond to multiple signals from the nearby Anping Port in Tainan.
Following the cable damage report, the vessel was seen moving northwest and was subsequently intercepted and escorted back to port for investigation. The ship’s entire eight-person crew—all Chinese nationals—has been detained, with the case now being handled under national security protocols.
Growing Concerns Over Undersea Infrastructure
Taiwanese officials have not yet confirmed whether the damage was intentional or accidental, but the possibility of a “grey-zone” operation by China has not been ruled out. This term refers to tactics that fall short of open conflict but serve to undermine an adversary’s security.
This latest incident adds to a series of similar disruptions to Taiwan’s undersea cable network. Earlier this year, another Chinese vessel was suspected of severing a cable northeast of the island. In February 2023, two cables serving Taiwan’s Matsu Islands were cut, disrupting communications for weeks.
Despite the damage, Chunghwa Telecom was able to activate a backup cable, preventing significant communication disruptions for the Penghu Islands.
Political and Strategic Implications
Taipei has long feared that China could target its critical infrastructure as part of a broader strategy to pressure or blockade the island, which Beijing claims as its territory. The Taiwanese government has recently intensified monitoring of Chinese vessels and expanded its blacklist of ships suspected of engaging in such activities.
China’s Foreign Ministry, when asked about the incident during a routine press briefing, stated that it was unaware of the matter and suggested that it was not a diplomatic issue.
Image source: lloydslist.com
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