Taiwan Detains Chinese-Crewed Cargo Ship After Undersea Cable Damage

• Feb 25, 2025

Taiwan’s coastguard has detained a cargo ship and its Chinese crew following damage to an undersea communication cable in the Taiwan Strait, stating that the incident could be a potential “grey-zone” act by China.

The damaged cable, which connects Taiwan’s main island with the outlying Penghu islands, was reported by Chunghwa Telecom in the early hours of Tuesday. Taiwan’s coastguard, which closely monitors areas near critical infrastructure, responded by dispatching vessels to the site. Officials observed the cargo ship, registered under a Togolese flag but crewed by eight Chinese nationals, stopping suspiciously close to the cable’s location before dropping anchor. The vessel began moving northwest about 30 minutes before the cable was severed.

Authorities attempted to communicate with the ship via radio and loudspeaker, but it did not respond. The coastguard intercepted the vessel and escorted it back to Anping port, where officers boarded for further investigation. Taiwan suspects the ship’s Togolese registration is a "flag of convenience" and believes it may be Chinese-funded, though ownership details remain unclear. Maritime records show at least three different names linked to the vessel’s identification number.

The term “grey zone” describes acts of hostile interference that do not escalate to open warfare. “Whether this was an intentional sabotage or a simple accident requires further investigation, but we cannot rule out a grey-zone intrusion,” Taiwan’s coastguard said in a statement.

Taiwan has been closely monitoring over 50 vessels suspected of operating under flags of convenience while being linked to Chinese companies. Some of these ships have been observed loitering in or near Taiwan’s territorial waters for extended periods.

While a backup cable ensured that communication remained unaffected, this incident adds to a series of similar disruptions. In January, Taiwanese authorities investigated a Chinese-owned, Cameroon-registered vessel, Shunxing 39, for allegedly dragging its anchor and damaging another undersea cable north of Taiwan. The ship was ordered to return for inspection but instead sailed to South Korea.

A year earlier, in February 2023, two cables near Taiwan’s outlying Matsu Islands were severed in separate incidents, cutting off internet access for weeks. Taiwanese officials attributed the damage to two Chinese vessels but stopped short of accusing Beijing of intentional sabotage.

The latest incident underscores ongoing tensions in the Taiwan Strait and concerns over potential threats to critical infrastructure. Taiwan continues to bolster its maritime security to prevent further disruptions.