Chinese Vessel Suspected in Undersea Cable Sabotage Near Taiwan

Tensions between China and Taiwan escalated Friday as a Hong Kong-owned freighter allegedly severed a vital undersea communications cable near Taiwan. The incident, echoing earlier sabotage in the Baltic Sea, has heightened fears of a potential Chinese “quarantine” of Taiwan, aimed at isolating the island from the global community.

Chungwha Telecom, co-owner of the Trans-Pacific Express (TPE) Cable, reported the outage north of Keelung, Taiwan. The cable serves as a critical link for Taiwan’s international communications. Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration (CGA) dispatched a patrol vessel to intercept the freighter, identified as the Shunxing39, but rough seas prevented boarding. The ship’s tracking system (AIS) has since been deactivated, and it appears to be heading toward Busan, South Korea.

Ray Powell, director of Stanford’s Sealight project, described the vessel’s history of operating under multiple flags and identification numbers, making it difficult to trace. He suggested the ship’s activities are tied to clandestine operations backed by Chinese interests.

Taiwanese defense experts previously warned that China might employ tactics like undersea cable sabotage and a naval “quarantine” to pressure Taiwan. While a blockade would be an overt act of war, a quarantine, modeled on the U.S. strategy during the Cuban Missile Crisis, would legally focus on restricting specific ships rather than total isolation.

The Chinese Navy now surpasses the U.S. 7th Fleet based in Yokosuka, Japan, in size and capability, posing a significant challenge to regional security. However, a unified naval force of the U.S., Japan, and South Korea could deter Chinese aggression. Yet South Korea’s internal political instability raises doubts about its ability to contribute effectively to such an alliance.

President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to counter Chinese expansionism through economic and military strength, including revitalizing the U.S. Navy. Trump, an advocate of naval superiority in the tradition of Teddy Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan, has criticized the Biden administration for neglecting shipbuilding.

“We need ships … China’s building a ship every four days, and we’re sitting back watching,” Trump told Hugh Hewitt in a recent interview. Trump’s vision includes increasing ship production, leveraging allied shipyards, and reversing policies that have prioritized environmental projects like the Green New Deal over national defense.

As the January 20 inauguration approaches, Taiwan’s precarious position underscores the urgency of military preparedness and cohesive alliances to counter China’s growing influence in the region.

MORE STORIES