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Taiwan Prosecutors Charge Chinese Ship Captain Over Undersea Cable Damage

This marks Taiwan's first legal action against deliberate cable sabotage as tensions with China and maritime security concerns grow.

Chinese and Taiwanese flags are seen through broken glass in this illustration taken, April 11, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

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.