Chinese authorities say two Taiwanese nationals controlled a cargo ship involved in damaging undersea communications cables near Taiwan earlier this year, rejecting Taipei’s claim that the incident was an act of hybrid warfare. The findings were announced by a local public security bureau in eastern China and reported by Al Jazeera.
The incident has fueled renewed cross-strait tensions, with Beijing denying any state involvement and Taiwan accusing China of covert pressure tactics. We reached out to Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council for comment.
Why It Matters
Undersea communications cables carry the vast majority of global internet traffic, making them critical infrastructure with major economic and security implications.
The dispute highlights growing concerns among governments about so-called “grey zone” activities—coercive acts that fall short of open conflict but can be difficult to attribute or prosecute.
What To Know
The Weihai Public Security Bureau in China’s Shandong province said its investigation found that two Taiwanese men controlled the Togo-flagged cargo ship Hong Tai 58, which allegedly damaged an undersea cable in February.
Chinese officials said the vessel was part of a long-running operation smuggling frozen goods into China, and accused Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party of falsely portraying the incident as deliberate sabotage ordered by Beijing.
Taiwanese authorities, however, have described the cable damage as a form of “hybrid warfare,” arguing that China has increasingly relied on low-level, deniable actions to apply pressure on the self-governed island.
In June, a Taiwanese court sentenced the Chinese captain of the Hong Tai 58 to three years in prison after finding him guilty of intentionally damaging the cable. Seven other Chinese crew members were returned to China without charge and later questioned by mainland authorities.
Explicit caveat: Chinese authorities have not publicly released detailed evidence linking the Taiwanese suspects to intentional cable sabotage, and proving deliberate damage to subsea cables is widely regarded as difficult due to frequent accidental breaks caused by maritime activity or aging infrastructure.
What People Are Saying
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office accused Taiwan’s government of “exaggerating” the incident to “stir cross-Strait confrontation,” according to statements carried by Chinese state media.
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said Beijing has no jurisdiction over Taiwan and criticized China for publicly naming suspects without releasing evidence.
“In the absence of concrete evidence, publicly announcing names and offering rewards is not a civilized practice,” the council said in a statement, calling the move political manipulation.
What Happens Next
The Weihai public security bureau said it is offering rewards of up to 250,000 yuan ($35,569) for information related to the two Taiwanese suspects, who it said have been wanted by Chinese customs authorities since 2014.
Taiwanese officials are expected to continue monitoring subsea cable incidents as regional governments face increasing challenges in protecting undersea infrastructure and attributing responsibility.
