Incident involving damage to undersea cables strains relations between Taiwan and China

Tensions between the two sides have flared up again following the alleged damage to undersea cables by a Chinese vessel off Taiwan's northern coast, Reuters reports.

Taiwan's Coast Guard stated that a Chinese vessel allegedly damaged the cables at the end of last week. However, adverse weather conditions prevented investigators from boarding the ship to conduct an inspection. The owner of the vessel, which is registered in Cameroon and Tanzania but owned by a Hong Kong-based company, denied all allegations, stating there was no evidence of its involvement in the incident.

Allegations and statements from both sides

Taiwanese authorities suspect the vessel was engaged in so-called "grey zone" activities — actions that exert pressure without direct aggression. However, no official evidence has been presented to support this yet.

China's Taiwan Affairs Office characterised the cable damage as a "routine maritime accident" and accused Taipei of deliberately inflaming the situation.

"On the international stage, Chinese vessels flying convenient flags have long had a reputation for being unscrupulous," — stated the Taiwan Council for Mainland Affairs. Taipei also recalled previous incidents of damage to cables leading to the Jinmen and Matsu islands, which are under Taiwan's control but located near the Chinese coast.

Context and conclusions

Incidents involving Chinese vessels are not new to Taiwan. The island has previously complained about China's "grey zone" activities, including drone flights and dredging operations.

Taiwanese authorities have promised to continue the investigation and act based on the evidence gathered. Meanwhile, the situation remains tense, further exacerbating the already fragile atmosphere in the region.