(Credit: Serg Myshkovsky via Getty Images)
Taiwan is investigating whether a Chinese vessel intentionally severed an undersea internet cable to the island, raising concerns about potential sabotage.
The incident occurred on Friday when local telecommunications provider Chunghwa Telecom reported a disruption to the undersea cable. Taiwan's coast guard dispatched a vessel to the site and discovered a Hong Kong-owned cargo ship called "SHUNXIN 39" about 7 nautical miles from the undersea cable. A preliminary investigation has since determined the vessel was likely responsible for the damage.
(Credit: Taiwan Coast Guard Administration)Although the undersea cable was damaged, Chunghwa Telecom was able to reroute internet communications through backups. The damaged cable belongs to Trans-Pacific Express, which links China, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and the US.
Taiwan’s coast guard attempted to board Shun Xin 39, but turbulent waves prevented authorities from doing so, causing Shun Xin 39 to resume its journey to the South Korean port of Busan, according to The Wall Street Journal. Still, Taiwan has ordered a full investigation and asked South Korea for assistance.
Taiwan’s coast guard also says the vessel is registered to a Hong Kong company called Jie Yang Trading Limited and that seven crew members on board are Chinese nationals. The ship was been found using two sets of Automatic Identification System equipment, allowing it to broadcast two separate IDs to international maritime systems, The New York Times reports.
The incident raises concerns that the Chinese government may have secretly orchestrated the sabotage. In 2023, two Chinese vessels also damaged an undersea cable to an island north of Taiwan, temporarily cutting residents off from the internet.
If China invades Taiwan, the country will likely try to sabotage all undersea cables to the island, preventing it from communicating with the rest of the world. In response, the Taiwanese government has been racing to develop a satellite internet system, but without the help of SpaceX, partly due to concerns about Elon Musk’s ties in China. Instead, Taiwan is considering working with Amazon’s Project Kuiper on satellite internet access to the island, although the company is still working to launch its first commercial satellites.