On February 27, 2025, the Taiwanese cargo ship “Hongtai” with a Chinese background was allegedly involved in severing the third undersea cable connecting Taiwan and the Penghu Islands. The Tainan District Prosecutors Office has commanded an investigation and ordered the detention of the Chinese captain surnamed Wang. The Tainan District Court today (27th) determined that Captain Wang destroyed the undersea cable but denied the accusation, and ruled to detain him incommunicado.
The Tainan District Court in Taiwan announced in a press release today that Captain Wang denied the accusations. However, confessions from accomplices, witness testimonies, and other relevant evidence supported the suspicion that he violated Article 72, Paragraph 1 of the Telecommunications Management Act by damaging or engaging in other illegal methods to disrupt the cables connecting the cable landing station and equipment room. The court deemed the crime significant.
According to the Tainan District Court, their investigation revealed that Captain Wang, a Chinese national, does not have a fixed residence in Taiwan. Allowing him bail could lead to a risk of flight. Further investigation is needed to understand Captain Wang’s role and the extent of involvement of other accomplices. If released on bail, Captain Wang may contact other accomplices, posing a risk of collusion and witness tampering.
The Tainan District Court affirmed that Captain Wang’s act of damaging the undersea cable resulted in the interruption of communication between islands, impacting government and societal operations. The communication disruption could pose a public safety hazard and the severity of the crime threatens public security. Therefore, the court ordered the defendant to be detained and prohibited from communicating with the outside world. The decision is appealable.
The Ocean Affairs Council of the Republic of China stated that on the afternoon of the 25th, the Coast Guard Administration received a report from Chunghwa Telecom, indicating the rupture of the third undersea cable near the northwest of Jiangjun Fishing Port. The contingency system was activated, and communication was not affected. Chunghwa Telecom requested the Coast Guard’s assistance in the investigation.
The Taiwanese Coast Guard said that at 3:24 a.m. on the 25th, they received a report from Chunghwa Telecom and immediately alerted Patrol Vessel 10079 to intercept the “Hongtai” ship. However, due to significant discrepancies in the ship’s description and adverse weather conditions, they could not conduct an inspection. Additional vessels were dispatched for reinforcement, eventually bringing back the “Hongtai” ship to Anping Port in Tainan at 12:15 p.m., along with the apprehension of 8 Chinese crew members on board.
The Tainan District Prosecutors Office detained Captain Wang after the investigation on the 26th and imposed restrictions on the residence, departure, and seafaring of the other 7 crew members. They are under technological surveillance, and the prosecution will continue to investigate the “Hongtai” cargo ship’s damaging of the undersea cable and the reasons behind it.
In 2025, Taiwan has already experienced five undersea cable faults, with three incidents occurring in the past two years alone.
The frequent incidents of undersea cable ruptures have drawn concern. Minister of Ocean Affairs Commission, Gau Bi-ling, disclosed on the 26th that they have compiled a “blacklist” categorizing threats, and have deployed high-level monitoring on 52 specific vessels in advance. Multiple units are safeguarding the undersea cables to ensure the public’s peace of mind.