Taiwan puts navy on standby to protect undersea cables amid allegations against China

Taiwan will dispatch its navy if needed to help the coast guard respond to any suspicious activity near undersea communication cables, Defence Minister Wellington Koo said on Thursday, after a Chinese-linked ship was suspected of damaging one.

Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, said a ship owned by a Hong Kong company but registered both in Cameroon and Tanzania damaged a cable to the north of the island earlier this month, although it says it has not been able to verify the ship’s intentions and was unable to board it due to bad weather.

The ship’s owner has denied involvement, and China’s government has said Taiwan was making up accusations before the facts were clear.

The incident has particularly alarmed Taiwan given it has repeatedly complained about “grey zone” Chinese activities around the island, designed to pressure it without direct confrontation, such as balloon overflights and sand dredging.

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Speaking to reporters at parliament, Koo said the armed forces would closely coordinate with the coast guard and help monitor areas where sea cable are located.

“Once something happens, the coast guard will go out first, and if needed the navy will immediately cooperate if a response is required,” he added.

Also speaking to the media at parliament, Taiwan National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen said the government has already activated a mechanism with “international friends” to exchange information about Chinese “grey zone” maritime activities, though did not give details.

Taiwan’s focus will be on ships carrying flags of convenience - those registered to other countries than their actual owner - and how China might be using them in the waters around the island, Tsai said.

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Taiwan, whose government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims, has pointed to similarities between what it experienced and damage to undersea cables in the Baltic Sea following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Last week, Taiwan’s government said Chinese ships flying flags of convenience have “the mark of evil about them”.