Overview

• Taiwan formally charged Captain Wang of the Chinese-crewed, Togo-registered ship Hong Tai 58 for intentionally damaging an undersea communication cable in February 2025.
• The prosecution is the first of its kind in Taiwan, reflecting heightened concerns over the security of critical infrastructure following a rise in cable disruptions.
• Seven other Chinese nationals detained in connection with the incident will not face charges and are being sent back to China.
• Taiwan has increased its maritime monitoring, tracking nearly 100 China-linked vessels suspected of engaging in covert activities near its waters.
• The damaged cable incident highlights global concerns over 'grey zone' tactics, with parallels drawn to similar cases in the Baltic Sea linked to geopolitical tensions.