Special monitoring zones would be established around undersea cables to prevent possible “gray zone” tactics by China, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday.
The Shunxing-39, a Cameroon-flagged cargo vessel, on Monday last week allegedly damaged an undersea cable off northern Taiwan by dragging its anchor over it.
Colonel Hu Chung-hua (胡中華) said ministry officials have met with Coast Guard Administration (CGA) representatives and other agencies to collaborate on potential preventive action and intelligence sharing.
Photo: Fang Wei-li, Taipei Times
Colonel Lee Chang-fu (李昌富) said the ministry would establish special monitoring zones in Yilan County’s Toucheng Township (頭城), New Taipei City’s Tamsui (淡水) and Bali (八里) districts, Penghu County and Pingtung County’s Fangshan Township (枋山).
Suspicious ships loitering near these areas would be reported to the CGA for investigation, Lee said, adding that the navy would dispatch ships to assist CGA operations if the latter makes such a request.
The ministry is aware of the possibility of a large-scale sabotage of undersea cables and has set up multiple networks to prevent a communications blackout, Colonel Lei Yung-chi (雷詠淇) said.
The National Security Bureau in a report submitted to the Legislative Yuan ahead of a Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee meeting today said that undersea cable destruction incidents — which have occurred seven to eight times in Taiwan over the past three years — showed that information network resilience and the establishment of backup communication methods were critical national security issues.
Ships flying flags of convenience are entitled to claim “innocent passage” under international law, but such behaviors have become a method that foreign powers use to threaten Taiwan, it said.
Patrols should prioritize the maritime zones near undersea cable landing stations, it said.
Ships flying flags of convenience of countries with a history of falsifying their customs reports should be prioritized for inspections, the agency said.
CGA officers should board and inspect the Maritime Mobile Service Identity and automatic identification systems of such ships once they are within 24 nautical miles (44km) of Taiwan, near the special monitoring zones or have asked to enter Taiwanese ports, it said.
Separately, the Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA) said it is adopting policies to reinforce communications resilience throughout the country.
Efforts would include asking industry owners to conduct risk assessment reports, establish security protocols, increase the number of undersea cables and cable landing stations, and establish server rooms for additional redundancy, the MODA said.
The ministry has set up 773 non-geostationary orbit ground stations, 700 of which would help ensure Taiwan’s command structure retains its communications capability if undersea cables or microwave telecommunications are severed, the MODA said.
Additional reporting by Wu Che-yu
NETWORK-MAPPING PROJECT: The database contains 170 detailed files of Taiwanese politicians and about 23 million records of household registration data in Taiwan China has developed a network-mapping project targeting political figures and parties in Taiwan to monitor public opinion during elections and to craft tailored influence campaigns aimed at dividing Taiwanese society, according to documents leaked by Chinese technology firm GoLaxy (中科天璣). The documents, collected by Taipei-based Doublethink Lab, showed a database was specifically created to gather detailed information on Taiwanese political figures, including their political affiliations, job histories, birthplaces, residences, education, religion and a brief biography about them. Several notable Taiwanese politicians are in the database, including President William Lai (賴清德), former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍),
KEY INDUSTRY: The vice premier discussed a plan to create a non-red drone supply chain by next year, which has been allocated a budget of more than NT$7.2 billion The government has budgeted NT$44.2 billion (US$1.38 billion) to cultivate Taiwan’s uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) industry over the next five years, which would make the nation a major player in the industry’s democratic supply chain in the Asia-Pacific region, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday. Cho made the remarks during a visit to the facilities of Cub Elecparts Inc (為升電裝). Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Su-yueh (陳素月) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsieh Yi-fong (謝依鳳) also participated in the trip. Cub Elecparts has transitioned from the automotive industry to the defense industry, which is the top priority among the nation’s
UPGRADED MISSILE: The Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology is reportedly to conduct a live-fire test of the Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missile on Thursday next week The US Army is planning to build new facilities to boost explosives production and strengthen its supply chain, a move aimed at addressing munitions shortages and supporting obligations to partners including Taiwan, Ukraine and Israel, Defense News reported. The army has issued a sources sought notice for a proposed Center of Excellence at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky, the report said. The facility would serve as a hub within the US industrial base for the production of key military explosives, including research department explosives (RDX) and high melting explosives (HMX), while also supporting research and development of next-generation materials. The proposed
SOUTH KOREA DISPUTE: If Seoul continues to ignore its request, Taiwan would change South Korea’s designation on its arrival cards, the foreign ministry said If South Korea does not reply appropriately to a request to correct Taiwan’s name on its e-Arrival card system before March 31, the government would take corresponding measures to change how South Korea is labeled on the online Taiwan Arrival Card system, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. South Korea’s e-Arrival card system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in the “point of departure” and “next destination” fields. Taipei has asked Seoul to change the wording. Since March 1, South Koreans who hold government-issued Alien Resident Certificates (ARC) have been identified as from “South Korea” rather than the “Republic of Korea,” the
RSS