The Executive Yuan yesterday advanced amendments to seven laws to protect critical underwater infrastructure, applying the same penalties for damaging water and natural gas pipelines to damaging submarine cables.
The amendments also include provisions for confiscating vessels used in such crimes, while requiring all ships to keep their automatic identification systems on or face penalties.
Taiwan relies heavily on infrastructure such as undersea cables, and power and energy pipelines, which support the nation’s digital economy and people’s livelihoods, the Cabinet said.
Photo courtesy of the Coast Guard Administration
However, illegal intrusions and sabotaging of undersea cables over the past few years have affected external and internal communications, as well as potentially jeopardizing energy transmission and national security, it said.
Minister Without Portfolio Lin Ming-hsin (林明昕) said that of the seven proposed amendments, five address penalties and complementary measures concerning undersea cable sabotage in the Telecommunications Management Act (電信管理法), the Electricity Act (電業法), the Natural Gas Enterprise Act (天然氣事業法), the Tap Water Act (自來水法) and the Meteorological Act (氣象法).
The other two are in the Commercial Port Act (商港法) and the Shipping Act (船舶法), which cover vessel control, he said.
While critical infrastructure is already protected by law, the amendments extend that protection to water and natural gas pipelines, with penalties to be applied in accordance with the Telecommunications Management Act, Lin said.
Those who endanger the normal functioning of submarine cables through theft or destruction face a prison term of one to seven years and a maximum fine of NT$10 million (US$332,149).
Those found guilty of intentionally endangering national security or social stability would face a sentence of three to 10 years in jail and a fine of up to NT$50 million, the proposed amendments say.
If a person’s actions result in disaster, death or serious injury, the maximum penalty is life in prison and a NT$100 million fine, while negligence is punishable by up to six months in prison, detention or a fine of up to NT$2 million.
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