Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration (CGA) is investigating a Chinese-owned freighter Shunxin-39 for allegedly severing a vital undersea communications cable near the island’s northern coast. The incident, reported by Chunghwa Telecom on January 3rd, underscores global concerns about the vulnerability of critical underwater infrastructure.
Data from the ship’s automatic identification system (AIS) and satellite tracking indicate that the freighter may have dragged its anchor, damaging the subsea cable near Keelung. Analysts from maritime analytics provider MarineTraffic noted irregular movements by the ship in the area since December 1st, raising suspicions that the incident was not an accident.
The damaged cable is part of the USD500 million Trans-Pacific Express network, operational since 2008, which connects East Asia to the United States’ West Coast. Despite the breach, Chunghwa Telecom successfully rerouted internet traffic through other cables, minimizing service disruptions. Repairs are expected to be completed later this month.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Digital Affairs has announced plans to secure additional funding to strengthen the island’s connectivity to international undersea cable systems. Analysts warn that incidents like this could expose Taiwan’s strategic vulnerabilities, particularly amid escalating tensions with China.
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