Earlier this year, Taiwan made an unprecedented decision after an undersea cable was damaged, which disrupted the only remaining link to the Matsu Islands. Following a call to Washington, the Asian nation secured a two-year agreement to allow the U.S. military to land on the island and train the Taiwanese navy. However, this is only part of a larger plan.
Protecting undersea cables has become a priority. Undersea cable infrastructure is the backbone of global connectivity for most nations. It’s even more critical for an island like Taiwan, which relies heavily on these systems to ensure communication for its citizens, businesses, and government institutions.
Any severe disruption to these connections could make the population unreachable, hindering access to essential services such as mobile apps and digital platforms. This could significantly impact economic and government operations. The increasing frequency of incidents involving cables connecting Taiwan to its outlying islands and the rest of the world has raised concerns about the security and resilience of this vital infrastructure.
An alarming frequency of failures. Globally, more than 450 existing undersea cable systems experience damage ranging from 0.1 to 0.2 incidents per cable each year. This amounts to 50 to 100 failures worldwide annually. However, the situation in Taiwan is exceptionally critical. Cables connecting the outlying islands of Matsu to the main island experience an average of 5.1 outages per year, which is up to 50 times the global average. This data highlights the vulnerability of communications and the urgent need for protective measures.
On Jan. 22, two undersea cables connecting Matsu to Taiwan were disconnected, leaving the island digitally isolated. Taiwan’s Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA) attributed it to “natural deterioration.” This incident wasn’t an isolated case. On Jan. 3, a subsea cable north of the main island, operated by Chunghwa Telecom, was also severed, allegedly by a vessel manned by Chinese nationals. The vessel in question, the Shunxing 39, was registered in Cameroon and Tanzania, complicating a direct attribution of the attack.
Strategies to strengthen security. In response to this situation, Taiwan has activated an unprecedented plan to reinforce the security of undersea cables. For example, telecommunications operators have deployed maritime patrols to warn fishing vessels approaching sensitive areas. Additionally, Taiwan’s Coast Guard has enhanced surveillance using tracking systems to monitor vessels in critical regions.
Subsidy program. To enhance communications redundancy, MODA has introduced a subsidy program to promote the construction of new international cable landing stations and the installation of backup systems. Additionally, Taiwan is committed to diversifying its communication systems through satellite technology.
In this context, the Taiwanese government has signed agreements with the European company SES to deploy medium Earth orbit satellites and with OneWeb to integrate low Earth orbit satellites. These measures are designed to ensure the continuity of government and military communications in an emergency.
Legal challenges. One of the primary difficulties in protecting undersea cables is the complex international legislation governing these infrastructures. According to international maritime law, if damage occurs within a country’s territorial waters, that country can assert jurisdiction over the incident.
What’s the issue? The challenge arises when damage occurs in an exclusive economic zone or international waters. In those cases, the responsibility falls to the country where the suspect vessel is registered. This legal framework presents significant obstacles to investigating and prosecuting those responsible for deliberate sabotage.
In response to these challenges, Taiwan has enacted legislation to punish intentional attacks on its undersea cables. Offenders face prison sentences of one to seven years and fines of up to US$300,000.
The U.S. Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense recently announced a two-year agreement with the U.S. to train the Taiwanese navy. This arises as the island’s parliament prepares to vote on potential budget cuts for overseas military training. The agreement, valued at around US$1.5 million, will see U.S. Navy personnel deployed to Taiwan to conduct a specialized naval training program.
The training sessions are planned to take place at the headquarters of Taiwan’s navy and marine corps in the Zuoying district in Southern Taiwan. This marks the first time in history that the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense has publicly acknowledged the presence of U.S. military trainers on the island.
Regional resilience. Recent events have made it clear that protecting undersea cables isn’t only a national concern for Taiwan but also a regional security issue. Disruptions to these infrastructures can affect neighboring countries, highlighting the importance of establishing strategic alliances for damage prevention and repair.
wAs such, Taiwan aims to collaborate closely with its partners in Asia to enhance cable repair capabilities, improve logistics, and develop advanced monitoring technologies. Researchers at Lishui University in China recently filed a patent for an anchoring device designed to cut undersea cables efficiently. Although there’s no evidence of this technology being used in actual attacks, its existence indicates that risks to telecommunications may increase in the near future.
Image | Alan Yeh
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