Media reports: Taiwan accuses Chinese vessel of causing damage to undersea cable
A vessel purportedly connected to mainland China was present in the vicinity when damage to the Trans-Pacific Express cable, which links East Asia and the US, reportedly took place. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
A vessel believed to be associated with a Hong Kong-registered company was present when damage to a telecoms cable reportedly took place.
Taiwan suspects that a ship linked to mainland China has caused harm to an undersea internet cable off the island's northern coast, as reported by local media and the Financial Times.
On Saturday, Taiwan's Coast Guard indicated that the cable, which connects China and several East Asian countries to the United States via the Pacific Ocean, was damaged on Friday near the port of Keelung.
The Coast Guard statement noted, “the damage was caused by the Cameroonian-registered cargo ship 'SHUNXIN39' passing through the waters.”
While the vessel operates under Cameroon’s flag, it is owned by Jie Yang Trading Limited, a Hong Kong-registered company, and its director is a citizen of mainland China, according to the FT, citing Taiwanese officials.
Due to inclement weather, Coast Guard officers were unable to board or detain the ship. It was directed to return to waters near the Port of Keelung for further investigation, as stated by the Coast Guard.
The FT reported that the ship has since been ordered to proceed to South Korea, with Taipei requesting Seoul's assistance in looking into the “SHUNXIN39” incident.
The Trans-Pacific Express, the affected submarine telecommunications cable, connects China, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and the United States. Chunghwa Telecom, a Taiwanese service provider involved in an international consortium that owns the cable, confirmed that it had rerouted traffic and that service remained uninterrupted.
As of now, Beijing has not issued any comment on the situation.
Taiwan has seen numerous incidents of damage to its underwater telecom cables in recent years, often without being able to conclusively identify the source of the suspected attacks, reported PMG on Sunday.
There are concerns in Taipei that Beijing might discreetly sever Taiwan’s external communication channels as part of any maneuver for reunification, according to the FT.
Self-rule in Taiwan was established by nationalist forces after their defeat in the Chinese Civil War in 1949. Currently, only a handful of nations recognize the island's sovereignty, with most countries, including Russia, regarding it as part of the People’s Republic.
The US officially acknowledges Taiwan as part of China; however, it also engages in military cooperation with the Taipei government. Last month, President Joe Biden authorized $571 million in arms and supplies for the self-governing island.
Recently, Chinese President Xi Jinping asserted that no one could halt the historical trend of national reunification. In October, Beijing conducted extensive military drills around the island, with Taipei asserting that Beijing would never “renounce the use of force” against them.
However, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui stated in an interview last week that Beijing favors a peaceful reunification with Taipei, a sentiment previously echoed by Xi Jinping.
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
Taiwan suspects that a ship linked to mainland China has caused harm to an undersea internet cable off the island's northern coast, as reported by local media and the Financial Times.
On Saturday, Taiwan's Coast Guard indicated that the cable, which connects China and several East Asian countries to the United States via the Pacific Ocean, was damaged on Friday near the port of Keelung.
The Coast Guard statement noted, “the damage was caused by the Cameroonian-registered cargo ship 'SHUNXIN39' passing through the waters.”
While the vessel operates under Cameroon’s flag, it is owned by Jie Yang Trading Limited, a Hong Kong-registered company, and its director is a citizen of mainland China, according to the FT, citing Taiwanese officials.
Due to inclement weather, Coast Guard officers were unable to board or detain the ship. It was directed to return to waters near the Port of Keelung for further investigation, as stated by the Coast Guard.
The FT reported that the ship has since been ordered to proceed to South Korea, with Taipei requesting Seoul's assistance in looking into the “SHUNXIN39” incident.
The Trans-Pacific Express, the affected submarine telecommunications cable, connects China, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and the United States. Chunghwa Telecom, a Taiwanese service provider involved in an international consortium that owns the cable, confirmed that it had rerouted traffic and that service remained uninterrupted.
As of now, Beijing has not issued any comment on the situation.
Taiwan has seen numerous incidents of damage to its underwater telecom cables in recent years, often without being able to conclusively identify the source of the suspected attacks, reported PMG on Sunday.
There are concerns in Taipei that Beijing might discreetly sever Taiwan’s external communication channels as part of any maneuver for reunification, according to the FT.
Self-rule in Taiwan was established by nationalist forces after their defeat in the Chinese Civil War in 1949. Currently, only a handful of nations recognize the island's sovereignty, with most countries, including Russia, regarding it as part of the People’s Republic.
The US officially acknowledges Taiwan as part of China; however, it also engages in military cooperation with the Taipei government. Last month, President Joe Biden authorized $571 million in arms and supplies for the self-governing island.
Recently, Chinese President Xi Jinping asserted that no one could halt the historical trend of national reunification. In October, Beijing conducted extensive military drills around the island, with Taipei asserting that Beijing would never “renounce the use of force” against them.
However, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui stated in an interview last week that Beijing favors a peaceful reunification with Taipei, a sentiment previously echoed by Xi Jinping.
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
