The Ministry of Digital Affairs is to build hundreds of satellite terminals to bolster the nation’s digital infrastructure against a potential Chinese attack, an official familiar with the matter said yesterday.
The Executive Yuan has authorized the ministry to proceed with the satellite terminal program, the funding for which is to come from the phase 4 budget of the “Far Vision Infrastructure Plan,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Chunghwa Telecom Co (中華電信) last month reported that Internet services in Lienchiang County (Matsu) were significantly disrupted after undersea cables were severed by a Chinese trawler and another unknown vessel in separate incidents.
Photo provided by the Taiwan Space Agency
The war in Ukraine has underscored the importance of the Internet in modern combat and campaigns to garner international support, which makes the resilience of Taiwan’s cyberinfrastructure a concern for national security, the official said.
More than 700 terminals — including three outside the country — are to be installed by next year to supplement the cables, which could be targeted by the Chinese military, the official said.
The ministry is soon to announce a contract for the project, which would be awarded through open bidding, they said.
The utilization of certified non-geosynchronous orbit satellites, including low Earth orbit satellites, would be a requirement for the contract, they added.
The terminals would act as a backup system to allow the continuity of Internet communications should hostile actions cripple Taiwan’s information infrastructure, the official said.
The national security establishment is to play an advisory role in site selection, and the exact locations of the terminals are to be kept secret, they said.
The terminals are to provide the president with a secure means of communication with the premier, the Cabinet and local governments, as well as Washington and Tokyo, they said.
The system should enable the president to address the nation directly, including residents in remote regions and outlying islands, the official said, adding that some schools, hospitals, fire services, police agencies and emergency shelters would also be supported.
The government could install terminals in every township, they said.
At least 6,882 locations potentially need satellite links, but not all sites would receive terminals due to cost constraints, they said, adding that mobile terminals were being considered as a stopgap.
The Ministry of Digital Affairs is evaluating the security of two domestic companies seeking commercial permits to use satellite frequency bands, which would qualify them as service providers to the government, the official said.
Foreign companies might be allowed to bid if no local firms pass evaluations, they said.
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