Taiwanese prosecutors on Friday formally charged the captain of a Chinese cargo ship for allegedly deliberately damaging undersea communication cables in the Taiwan Strait, escalating concerns about regional security and cyber infrastructure. The case marks the first criminal prosecution in Taiwan related to damage of submarine cables, according to Reuters, cited by TASR.
The vessel, named Chung-Tai and registered in Togo, was seized by Taiwan’s coast guard in February after it reportedly dropped anchor near an undersea cable off southwest Taiwan, causing significant damage. Authorities detained the ship’s captain—identified only by his surname Wang—alongside seven other Chinese crew members.
Prosecutors in Tainan City accused Wang of intentional damage to critical infrastructure. Despite asserting his innocence, he allegedly refused to provide information about the ship’s ownership and demonstrated a “poor attitude” during the investigation. The other crew members will not face charges and are expected to be returned to mainland China.
The Chinese government has not issued a statement regarding the captain’s detention. However, in February, Beijing accused Taiwan of “manipulating facts” over the cable damage, brushing off suggestions of Chinese involvement.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Digital Affairs reports five incidents of cable disruption in 2024 alone, compared to just three in each of the previous two years. Officials have also been monitoring a “blacklist” of roughly 100 vessels linked to China, often operating under foreign flags.
As China intensifies military pressure around Taiwan—claiming the self-governed island as its own—Taipei fears a strategic effort to cut its communications as part of a broader military or blockade campaign.
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