Taiwan slams Chinese captain 3-yr jail term over undersea cable damage

A Taiwanese court has sentenced a Chinese ship captain to three years in prison for damaging undersea cables off Taiwan’s coast.

The court ruling was delivered Thursday in Tainan, a city in southern Taiwan.

The captain, identified only as Wang, led the Chinese-crewed cargo ship Hong Tai 58, registered in Togo.

Prosecutors said Wang deliberately ordered his crew to drop anchor near undersea telecom cables southwest of Taiwan in February.

The act damaged the cables, leading to significant service disruptions and economic losses.

Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan’s largest telecommunications company, reported repair costs exceeding T$17 million ($576,564).

The court found Wang guilty of intentional damage, despite his insistence that the act was unintentional.

Wang admitted to giving the anchor order but denied any deliberate sabotage, claiming negligence in judgment.

Judges disagreed, ruling that he allowed the ship to “wander,” which resulted in the cables snapping under the anchor’s pressure.

Wang has the right to appeal the sentence, and his legal team is expected to challenge the verdict.

Seven other Chinese crew members aboard the Hong Tai 58 have already been deported.

Prosecutors found insufficient evidence to charge them with any crime.

Taiwanese authorities detained the ship shortly after detecting the cable damage in February.

Digital ministry records reveal that Taiwan has suffered five undersea cable malfunctions in 2025 alone.

The number is up from three each in 2024 and 2023.

Officials worry the disruptions may be part of broader efforts to destabilize the island’s infrastructure.

Taiwan has repeatedly accused Chinese vessels of threatening its digital security under the guise of maritime activities.

Beijing, however, has dismissed the claims as politically motivated.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office has not commented on the court ruling.

Previously, Beijing accused Taiwan of “manipulating” the case and jumping to conclusions.

China still claims Taiwan as its territory and regularly contests the island’s sovereignty.

Maritime tension between the two governments has risen in recent years.

Taiwanese defense analysts believe such cable incidents may form part of “gray-zone” warfare.

These tactics aim to weaken Taiwan without direct military conflict.

Authorities continue to monitor Chinese maritime traffic near critical infrastructure zones.

The Hong Tai 58 incident has raised alarms over Taiwan’s digital vulnerability.

Telecom officials are calling for stronger maritime surveillance laws and upgraded undersea protection systems.

With cable sabotage increasing, Taiwan faces mounting pressure to secure its digital lifelines.

For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook