Taiwan's Communication Cable Damaged: Chinese Vessel Suspected in Sabotage.

According to information published by Renminbao on January 6, 2025, a submarine communication cable off the northeastern coast of Taiwan was damaged last week, with suspicions pointing to a Chinese vessel dragging its anchor. The incident has sparked heightened concerns over potential gray-zone tactics employed by Beijing.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

Taiwan investigates damage to a key submarine communication cable, with suspicions pointing to a Chinese-linked cargo vessel, highlighting growing concerns over gray-zone tactics. (Picture source: Taiwanese Coast Guard)

In the early hours of January 3, damage was reported to a four-core international submarine cable near Taiwan's northeastern waters, off Keelung. Taiwan's Coast Guard identified a Cameroon-flagged cargo ship, Shunxing 39, as a possible culprit. The vessel had been navigating irregularly in the area and reportedly dragged its anchor at the exact location of the cable damage. Despite its foreign flag, the ship is registered to a Hong Kong-based company, Jie Yang Trading Co., whose sole listed owner is Guo Wenjie.

The vessel, which attempted to leave the area due to poor sea conditions, is now en route to Busan, South Korea. Taiwan has sought South Korean assistance in investigating the ship and its activities.

Chunghwa Telecom, the operator of the damaged cable, activated emergency backup systems to reroute communication traffic, successfully restoring service for affected customers in a short time. While no severe disruptions occurred, the incident underscores Taiwan’s vulnerability in safeguarding its communication infrastructure.

The Taiwan Coast Guard dispatched vessels to investigate, requesting the Shunxing 39 to return to the site for inspection. However, adverse weather conditions hindered further actions, and the vessel proceeded toward its original destination in Busan.

Taiwanese officials view the incident as part of a worrying global trend of submarine cable sabotage. A senior national security officer highlighted that many involved ships are often in poor condition and engaged in non-commercial activities, drawing comparisons to Russia's shadow fleet implicated in similar cases.

Beijing has not officially responded to the incident, but Taiwanese lawmakers believe it is part of an escalating gray-zone strategy—using unconventional means to undermine Taiwan's security without direct conflict. Legislators have called for reinforced measures, including stricter cable protection zones, faster interception protocols, and the ability to detain suspected vessels.

This is not the first time Taiwan’s submarine cables have been damaged. Over the past five years, cables connecting Taiwan’s main island to the Matsu Islands have been reportedly damaged nearly 30 times by Chinese vessels.

Globally, submarine cables have become a focus of geopolitical tensions. In November 2024, Finland and Germany reported damage to the C-Lion1 cable, with a Chinese cargo ship, Yi Peng 3, flagged as a suspect. Similarly, the Newnew Polar Bear, a Chinese vessel, was linked to the October 2023 damage of a natural gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia. Russian vessels have also been implicated in incidents, such as the Eagle S, suspected of damaging the Estlink 2 cable between Finland and Estonia last month.