Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Taiwan has accused China of damaging international undersea internet cables earlier this month. The cables, owned by Chunghwa Telecom, were reportedly disrupted, forcing the company to reroute internet traffic to maintain connectivity for its customers.
Chunghwa Telecom has filed a report with Taiwan’s Coast Guard, citing suspicious activity involving a vessel in the area where the cables were damaged. Officials suspect the involvement of a Chinese cargo ship.
Suspicious Vessel Identified
According to Taiwanese Coast Guard officials, the ship in question bore flags from Cameroon and Tanzania and had seven Chinese nationals on board. Separate reports indicate the vessel is operated by Jie Yang Trading Limited, a Hong Kong-based company owned by a Chinese national.
Radar evidence reportedly suggests the ship was involved in sabotaging the cables. However, no conclusive proof has been presented to confirm its role in the incident.
“We cannot determine intent at this time,” a senior Taiwanese official told CNN International on Sunday, January 12, 2025. “However, based on what we have observed, we cannot rule out the possibility that China is targeting the cables through gray zone operations.”
China’s Denial
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office has denied the accusations, calling the damage a routine occurrence. Guo Wenjie, a Chinese national and director of the company operating the vessel, echoed this sentiment, stating there is no evidence linking the ship to the incident.
“There is absolutely no proof,” Guo told Reuters. “I spoke with the ship’s captain, and it was a normal voyage.”
Recurring Tensions
This is not the first time China has been implicated in similar incidents. In 2023, Taiwanese authorities accused two Chinese ships of damaging undersea internet cables near the Matsu Islands. That incident left residents without internet for several days. While officials at the time ruled out deliberate sabotage, it heightened concerns about China’s activities in Taiwan’s surrounding waters.
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Gray Zone Operations
Taiwanese officials frequently cite “gray zone operations” as part of China’s strategy to destabilize the island without triggering open conflict. These operations include cyberattacks, military incursions, and, as alleged in this case, interference with critical infrastructure like undersea cables.
As tensions between Taiwan and China continue to escalate, incidents like this underscore the fragile state of cross-strait relations. The global reliance on undersea cables for internet connectivity adds another layer of complexity, raising questions about the security of such infrastructure in contested regions.
(Becky)
