Taiwan has detained a Chinese-linked cargo ship after a submarine cable was severed.

Ratio Taiwan Intl reported that this has increased tensions between Taipei and Beijing.

The Republic of China Coast Guard intercepted the Togolese-registered cargo ship Hongtai in the waters between the west coast of its main island and the remote Penghu Islands.

Earlier, the coast guard received a report from telecommunications provider Chunghwa Telecom that one of its submarine cables had been cut 11 kilometers northwest of the Jiangjun fishing harbor.

The coast guard reported that the Hongtai had been anchored in the same area since Saturday evening.

From Saturday to Tuesday morning, the authorities of the nearby port sent signals to the ship seven times but received no response.

After reporting the network damage, the coast guard approached the vessel, which began to move northwest, and escorted it to the port of Anping.

Taiwanese authorities said the entire crew was from China.

“Whether this is a deliberate sabotage or just an accident still requires further investigation to determine. We cannot rule out the possibility that this is part of China’s invasion of the gray zone,” the coast guard reported.

The Coast Guard reported that communication in the Penghu Islands was not disrupted as Chunghwa Telecom successfully activated the backup cable.

On January 3, 2025, when the Chinese cargo ship Shunxin 39, flying the flag of Cameroon, was passing within the port of Jilong, the cable was also damaged. In February 2023, two submarine networks serving the Matsu Islands were severed, interrupting communications for several weeks.

Taipei fears that China may damage its undersea communication cables as part of its attempts to blockade or seize islands that Beijing considers its territory.