Taiwan investigates Chinese-linked ship over damaged undersea telecom cable

The investigation into the disconnection of the undersea internet cable between Taiwan and its Penghu Islands is ongoing. Taiwan's coastguard is considering two possibilities: either it was an intentional act of sabotage or a simple accident. A Chinese-crewed cargo ship, Hong Tai 58, was found stranded near the time of the cable breakage and is suspected of towing the submarine cable. However, the investigation has not yet confirmed this. The Hong Tai 58 was registered in Togo with Chinese funding, suggesting potential ties to China.

Investigations are underway in Taiwan and Finland to determine the cause of damaged undersea cables. In Taiwan, a ship linked to China is being investigated for potentially damaging one of the cables that connects the island to the internet, while in Finland, four telecom cables and one power cable were severed on December 25. Experts and politicians have speculated that these incidents are part of a larger hybrid war between Russia and Western countries.