Taiwan’s Digital Ministry will strengthen international cooperation to protect undersea cables following repeated incidents of illegal damage, Minister Lin Yi-ching (林宜敬) said this Wednesday. Lawmaker Lee Kun-tse (李昆澤) urged the ministry to use advanced technologies to improve evidence collection, noting legal limitations under international maritime law make accountability and compensation challenging.

The Legislature’s Transportation Committee, chaired by Lee, reviewed amendments to several maritime-related laws, including the Commercial Port Act, Shipping Act, Meteorological Act, and Telecommunications Management Act. The revisions aim to prevent illegal destruction of submarine cables by foreign vessels operating near Taiwan’s waters.

Lin said the ministry will adopt a three-part approach based on prevention, rapid response, and accountability. Preventive action will include surveillance and early warnings, while operators such as Chunghwa Telecom will be required to report incidents immediately. The ministry also plans to enhance backup systems through microwave and satellite links and ensure operators join the International Cable Protection Committee for joint defense.

Citing data from the National Security Bureau, Lee said Taiwan’s submarine cables were damaged seven to eight times annually between 2019 and 2023, mostly by Chinese sand dredgers, fishing boats, and cargo ships. He said, “Because the evidence is insufficient, it is difficult to determine whether the damage was intentional, related to a vessel’s nationality, or caused by a captain unable to pay compensation. To address this, we need to conduct detailed surveys of cable locations, set different protection levels based on depth and environment, adopt real-time fiber-optic monitoring, and use remotely operated underwater vehicles for underwater imaging to preserve visual evidence.” Lee also recommended establishing mechanisms for ship and asset seizure to improve Taiwan’s ability to seek compensation.