Taiwan Undersea Cable Incident
The recent incident involving a damaged undersea communications cable northeast of Taiwan has sparked widespread concern and international attention. Here are the key updates ranked by significance:
1. Suspected Ship Identified
Taiwan's coast guard suspect a ship registered to Cameroon and Tanzania of causing the damage. The vessel, whose seven crew members are all Chinese nationals, is owned by a Hong Kong-based entity. Poor weather prevented the coast guard from boarding the ship, that has since continued its journey to Busan, South Korea.
2. International Cooperation Sought
Taiwan has reached out to South Korea for assistance in investigating the vessel. While the coast guard of South Korea acknowledged the request for information, they confirmed that no formal request for an investigation has been made yet.
3. Historical Context Raises Alarm
Coastguards have drawn comparisons to how cables had also been damaged under the Baltic Sea after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, raising some suspicions over the ship's accident or intentional reasons.
4. The Resilience of Taiwan's Communications
Despite the damage, Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs said communication services were not affected. Repairs to the cable are expected to be completed by February 3.
5. Increased Military and "Grey Zone" Activities
The incident adds to Taiwan's growing list of concerns over Chinese "grey zone" tactics. These include military drills, balloon overflights, and sand dredging-all of which Taiwan views as measures to pressure the island without direct confrontation.
6. Precedents in Undersea Cable Damage
It is not the first time undersea cables of Taiwan have been disrupted. In 2023, cables linking Taiwan's Matsu Islands to the mainland were severed, cutting off internet access for 14,000 residents. Initial findings pointed to Chinese vessels, though no deliberate tampering was proven.
7. Strengthening Emergency Preparedness
Taiwan has been taking stronger steps toward how to act in emergencies, including utilizing other means of communication, such as satellite technology. All this has been implemented to create resiliency against any possible disruption in the future.
Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story as investigations continue and international cooperation unfolds.