Home Asia Taiwan Defaming Us On Undersea Cable Cutting Without Facts: China

Taiwan Defaming Us On Undersea Cable Cutting Without Facts: China

Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has repeatedly complained about "grey zone" Chinese activities around the island.
Chinese and Taiwanese flags are seen through broken glass in this illustration taken, April 11, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

Chinaโ€™s government on Wednesday accused Taiwan of โ€œmanipulatingโ€ claims of Chinese involvement in the recent undersea cable severing, asserting that the island was making allegations before all facts were established.

Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has repeatedly complained about โ€œgrey zoneโ€ Chinese activities around the island, designed to pressure it without direct confrontation, such as balloon overflights and sand dredging.

China-Linked Ship Detained

Taiwanโ€™s coast guard said it detained a China-linked cargo ship on Tuesday after a nearby undersea cable to the Penghu Islands in the sensitive Taiwan Strait was disconnected.

Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for Chinaโ€™s Taiwan Affairs Office, told reporters in Beijing that damage to undersea cables was a โ€œcommon maritime accidentโ€ which occurs more than a hundred times a year globally.

โ€œWhile the basic facts and the people responsible for the accident have not yet been clarified, the Democratic Progressive Party authorities have deliberately exaggerated the situation in an attempt at political manipulation, which will not enjoy popular support,โ€ she said, referring to Taiwanโ€™s ruling party.

Subsea Cable Severing

Taipei was alarmed after a Chinese-linked ship was suspected of damaging another cable earlier this year, prompting the navy and other agencies to step up efforts to protect the undersea communication links, which are vital to the islandโ€™s connections to the rest of the world.

Taiwan, whose government rejects Beijingโ€™s sovereignty claims, has pointed to similarities between what it has experienced and damage to undersea cables in the Baltic Sea following Russiaโ€™s invasion of Ukraine.

FoC Ships

Taiwan has pointed the finger at ships which are actually Chinese but carry โ€œflags of convenienceโ€ of other countries.


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Last month, Taiwanโ€™s government said Chinese ships flying flags of convenience have โ€œthe mark of evil about themโ€.

Chinese Patrols

Taiwan has also complained about repeated patrols by Chinaโ€™s coast guard in restricted waters around the Kinmen islands, which are controlled by Taiwan but sit very close to the Chinese cities of Xiamen and Quanzhou.

China says the patrols are for routine law enforcement, having begun them last year after two Chinese nationals died trying to flee Taiwanโ€™s coast guard after their boat entered prohibited waters near Kinmen.

โ€˜Routine Harassmentโ€™

On Wednesday, Taiwanโ€™s coast guard said the Chinese coast guard had been carrying out such missions on average four times a month.

โ€œAn analysis of their sailing patterns shows that they have become โ€˜routine harassmentโ€™ not โ€˜law enforcement inspectionsโ€™,โ€ Taiwanโ€™s coast guard said in a statement.

โ€œThis has not only affected the atmosphere across the Taiwan Strait but also undermines regional peace and stability.โ€

(With inputs from Reuters)