TAIPEI, TAIWAN — Taiwanese authorities are investigating a Chinese-manned ship on suspicion of damaging an undersea communications cable, the latest incident that is escalating tensions between Taipei and Beijing.
Taiwan's coast guard intercepted the Togolese-flagged cargo ship in waters between the island's west coast and the Penghu Islands on Tuesday morning, according to a coast guard statement.
Telecommunications company Chunghwa Telecom had earlier notified the coast guard that one of its undersea cables, located about 11 kilometers from the Jianghun port, had been damaged.
The ship had been at the location since Saturday evening, according to the coast guard. From Saturday to early Tuesday, authorities at the Anping port said they sent signals to the ship seven times but received no response. After Chunghwa Telecom reported the cable damage, the coast guard approached the ship, which had begun sailing northwest, and escorted it to Anping port.
Taiwanese authorities said the ship's entire eight-member crew were Chinese citizens and that the case was being investigated "in accordance with national security principles."
"The cause of the cable damage, whether it was deliberate sabotage or simply an accident, has not yet been determined by the investigation," according to the Coast Guard.
"The possibility that this is a Chinese intervention cannot be ruled out," they added.
Communication between the Penghu islands was not interrupted because Chunghwa Telecom successfully activated a backup cable, according to the coast guard.
The incident is the latest in a string of incidents in recent years in which Taiwanese undersea cables have been damaged. In some cases, Taipei accuses China of being behind them. Earlier this year, a Chinese cargo ship allegedly damaged a link northeast of the island.
Taipei fears that China could damage undersea communications cables as part of its efforts to block or take control of the island, which Beijing claims as its own.
A spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said they have no information on this matter and that it has nothing to do with diplomacy./ VOA (A2 Televizion)
A2 CNN Livestream
MUND TE LEXONI GJITHASHTU
