Taiwanese authorities are probing a Chinese-crewed cargo ship suspected of severing critical undersea communication cables near Penghu Islands. The incident marks the latest escalation in gray-zone warfare tactics heightening cross-strait tensions, with coast guard officials stating:
The possibility of intentional sabotage aligns with patterns of maritime coercion.
The Togolese-flagged Hongtai remained anchored for 72 hours near Chunghwa Telecom’s cable route before attempting to flee northwest. Authorities intercepted the vessel after seven failed communication attempts, discovering all eight crew members held Chinese citizenship. No operational disruptions occurred due to activated backup systems.
This incident follows a concerning pattern:
- February 2023: Dual cables to Matsu Islands severed
- March 2024: Cargo ship damages link near Yilan
- 2022-2024: 14 cable faults near Taiwan
Analysts warn underwater infrastructure remains vulnerable to hybrid warfare strategies. Cutting cables achieves dual goals, explains maritime security expert Dr. Lin Wei-Fong. It disrupts civilian communications while testing Taiwan’s response protocols without kinetic military action.
Beijing dismissed allegations through spokesperson Wang Wenbin:
These baseless claims disregard China’s commitment to regional stability.However, Taiwan’s National Security Council has allocated $230 million since 2023 to harden undersea networks against sabotage.
With 95% of global data traffic flowing through submarine cables, this incident underscores Taiwan’s precarious geopolitical position. As defense budgets prioritize undersea cable security, experts urge international cooperation to safeguard critical digital infrastructure.