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Taiwan Mounts 24/7 Patrols to Shield Undersea Cables From Suspected Grey-Zone Threats

Officials report strained coast guard resources, with blacklisted China-linked vessels tracked using new alert systems.

Taiwan coast guard officers inspect a fishing boat in Tainan, Taiwan, August 27, 2025. REUTERS/Ann Wang
Juan Chung-Ching, a coast guard captain, aboard the Taiwan Coast Guard ship PP-10079 in Tainan, Taiwan, August 28, 2025. REUTERS/Ann Wang
The Chinese-crewed vessel Hong Tai 58 is docked in Tainan, Taiwan, August 28, 2025. REUTERS/Ann Wang
Taiwan coast guard officers on board the Taiwan Coast Guard ship PP-10079 in Tainan, Taiwan, August 28, 2025. REUTERS/Ann Wang

Overview

  • Coast guard units now maintain continuous patrols near the TP3 line, using alerts that flag slow-moving ships within 1 km and issuing radio warnings before dispatching cutters.
  • Authorities are tracking 96 blacklisted China-linked boats and monitoring nearly 400 additional vessels that a senior security official says could be repurposed.
  • Eight vessels and nearly 500 officers in the area are juggling cable protection with rescue duties and maritime law enforcement, underscoring resource limits.
  • Taipei is sharing real-time vessel data with like-minded partners as global concern grows following suspected sabotage in the Baltic Sea.
  • A court this year found a Chinese captain guilty of deliberately severing TP3, while Beijing rejects the accusations and says Taipei is manipulating the issue.