Taiwan Charges Chinese Captain in Undersea Cable Damage Case

Tensions Rise as Taiwan Prosecutes Captain of Ship Allegedly Involved in Severing Submarine Cable

Prosecutors in Taiwan have formally charged a Chinese ship captain with intentionally damaging undersea cables off the coast, marking a significant escalation in the context of rising tensions with China. This action comes after a surge in cable malfunctions, raising alarms among officials.

The accused, identified only by his family name, Wang (王), was the captain of the Hong Tai 58 (宏泰58號), a vessel registered in Togo and crewed by Chinese nationals. The Tainan District Prosecutors’ Office alleges that Wang violated the Telecommunications Management Act (電信管理法) by damaging the cable.

Authorities seized the Hong Tai 58 after suspicions arose that the ship had dropped anchor near an undersea cable off southwestern Taiwan, leading to its damage. A photo from Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling’s Facebook page shows Coast guard personnel boarding the Togo-flagged ship for an inspection.

The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) received a report from Chunghwa Telecom Co (中華電信) about the severed Taiwan-Penghu No. 3 submarine fiber optic cable, prompting them to board the vessel and detain its seven Chinese crew members on February 25th.

According to the CGA, the Hong Tai 58 had been in the vicinity of the cable since February 22nd.

Prosecutors claim that Wang instructed his crew to drop anchor 5 nautical miles (9.26km) west of Tainan’s Beimen District (北門) and navigate in a zigzag pattern around the No. 3 cable, indicating an attempt at sabotage. Furthermore, the boat's electronic navigational chart clearly showed the locations of all the undersea cables in Taiwanese waters, including the damaged No. 3 cable.

This particular submarine cable, essential for telephone and broadband communications, is located in a government-designated zone where anchoring is strictly prohibited.

Wang has been held incommunicado, while the crew members are awaiting deportation and were not charged due to a lack of sufficient evidence. He has denied all wrongdoing and refused to reveal the identity of the shipowner, who prosecutors believe may have instructed him to damage the cable. This marks Taiwan's first prosecution for damaging sea cables.

Under the telecommunications law (Article 72), anyone found endangering a submarine cable's normal operation faces imprisonment of at least one year, up to seven years, and a fine of up to NT$10 million (US$305,764). The Tainan District Court is expected to hear the case.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Beijing has previously accused Taiwan of “manipulating” the case, asserting that accusations were being made without proper investigation.

The cable damage occurred amidst heightened military activity by China around Taiwan, including military exercises held recently.

Taiwan has reported a notable increase in sea cable malfunctions this year, with five cases compared to three in the previous two years, according to the Ministry of Digital Affairs.

The CGA has increased efforts to safeguard sea cables, including monitoring a "blacklist" of nearly 100 China-linked ships near Taiwan that are registered in countries other than their owners' countries, according to officials.

In January, Taiwan voiced suspicion that a China-linked ship had damaged an undersea cable off its northern coast, which the ship's owner denied.

Taiwan has consistently raised concerns about China's "gray zone" activities, which are intended to pressure the nation without resorting to direct confrontation, as exemplified by overflights by balloons and sand dredging.

Another Chinese-linked vessel was suspected of damaging a different cable this year, prompting the navy and other agencies to step up their efforts to protect the undersea communication links, which are critical for Taiwan’s global connectivity.

Taipei has highlighted similarities between their situation and the damage to undersea cables in the Baltic Sea following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.