Taiwan Investigates Suspected Chinese Role in Undersea Cable Damage

Taiwan suspects a Chinese-linked ship of damaging a critical communications cable, raising concerns about infrastructure security and regional tensions.

• Taiwan's coast guard suspects the Chinese-crewed vessel 'Shunxin 39' of damaging an undersea communications cable off the island's northern coast on January 3.
• The ship, registered in Cameroon and Tanzania but owned by a Hong Kong company, was in the area but denied involvement, citing a lack of evidence.
• Taiwan has raised concerns about 'grey zone' activities by Chinese-linked vessels, which aim to pressure the island without direct confrontation.
• Taiwan's digital ministry reported no service disruptions due to backup cables, but the incident has heightened security concerns about critical infrastructure vulnerabilities.
• The case is under investigation, with Taiwan security officials set to brief diplomats, emphasizing the potential international impact on global communications networks.

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