Taiwan accuses China of damaging an undersea communications cable with a Chinese ship. Taiwan has already asked South Korea for help in investigating the incident.
This is reported by the Financial Times.
Taiwanese telecommunications operator Chunghwa Telecom and the coast guard say the cargo ship Shunxing39 likely damaged a communications cable on the islandʼs northern coast on the morning of January 3.
And although the ship flies the flag of Cameroon, it belongs to a Chinese company. Its owner is Chinese citizen Guo Wenjie.
The connection was quickly restored, with the damaged cable being rerouted to other lines, operator Chunghwa Telecom said. But Taiwan is concerned that China could secretly disrupt external communications in a possible attempt to annex the country.
- Tensions in the Asia-Pacific region are rising amid Chinaʼs threats to seize Taiwan, a U.S. ally. The ruling Communist Party considers Taiwan part of its territory. Beijing has increasingly promised to "reunify" the island with mainland China by 2022. U.S. President Joe Biden has said the United States would defend Taiwan if attacked.
- In March 2023, Chinese leader Xi Jinping called on Chinaʼs troops to prepare for war, and on the eve of 2024 said that "reunification" was inevitable. Taiwanʼs Foreign Ministry also predicts a possible attack by China in 2027.
- In late May 2024, China began military exercises around Taiwan, immediately after the inauguration of Taiwanese President Lai Qingde. Chinese aircraft and navy conducted a simulated attack.
For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine please follow us on X.