Taiwan detains Chinese-owned freighter amid subsea cable damage investigation

The detained vessel, identified as Hong Tai 168 but listed in shipping databases as Hong Tai 58, was seen loitering near the Tainan region before the coastguard discovered cable damage.

Taiwan’s coastguard apprehended a Chinese-owned freighter early on Tuesday for allegedly damaging a subsea communications cable off the island’s western coast. This incident marks the first significant encounter since Taiwan intensified efforts against Beijing’s "shadow fleet." While it remains unclear if the cable damage was intentional, the Taiwan coastguard speculated it could be part of Chinese "greyzone" tactics aimed at destabilizing Taiwan, as reported by The Financial Times.

The detained vessel, identified as Hong Tai 168 but listed in shipping databases as Hong Tai 58, was seen loitering near the Tainan region before the coastguard discovered cable damage. The ship had ignored multiple calls from Taiwan’s coastguard to depart, leading to its seizure and further investigation. According to the coastguard, the ship is linked to the Chinese-owned Jinlong 389, and the crew was entirely Chinese.

This is the latest in a series of similar incidents in which Chinese or Russian-owned ships have been suspected of damaging subsea cables, including in the Baltic Sea. Taiwan has taken these actions seriously, as Beijing has used such tactics alongside cyberattacks and military manoeuvres to exert pressure on Taiwan, which it claims as its own territory. In response to these developments, Taiwan has begun tracking and targeting Chinese-owned ships linked to such activities, according to Financial Times.