Taipei, Feb. 25 (CNA) The severing of a submarine communications cable linking Taiwan's main island and offshore Penghu County on Tuesday did not affect users, and the telecom link is expected to be repaired by May at the latest, according to the cable's operator.
Chunghwa Telecom said on Tuesday that backup cables and microwave technologies ensured that all communication services -- including mobile phone and internet traffic -- were maintained despite the disconnection of the Taiwan-Penghu No. 3 cable that occurred around 3 a.m. the same day.
The partially state-owned Taiwanese telecom company also stated that it would provide judicial authorities with any relevant information it has regarding the disconnection and seek compensation through legal means, in reference to suspicions that the cable may have been intentionally cut.
Earlier on Tuesday, a Togolese-registered vessel was boarded and its Chinese crew detained by Taiwanese authorities after the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) received a report that the undersea cable had been severed.
The boat had been lingering near the cable since Feb. 22, according to the CGA.
Speaking at RightsCon 2025, a human rights summit, in Taipei on Tuesday, Presidential Office Spokesperson Lii Wen (李問) said that "Taiwan must continue to strengthen the protection of submarine cables and the resilience of communications."
Suggesting that the Chinese Communist Party may have been ultimately responsible for recent cable disconnections, Lii said that Taiwan should also "cooperate and exchange experiences with international partners" to promote "non-red supply chains of communications technology."
"The protection of submarine cables should be considered a national security issue," the spokesperson continued, explaining that "maintaining stable and smooth communication is critical for safeguarding a democratic political environment."
