The « Hongtai, » flying the Togolese flag, was escorted to Taiwan after a cable was severed between the Pescadores Islands and the main island, according to the coast guard.
This photo taken and released on February 25, 2025, by the Taiwanese coast guard shows the « Hongtai » vessel immobilized at the Pescadores.
Taiwanese coast guard officials stated that they intercepted a ship with a Chinese crew on Tuesday, February 25, after a telecommunications submarine cable was cut off the island. The Hongtai, flying the Togolese flag, was « escorted » to Taiwan, and the matter was « handled in accordance with national security regulations, » the coast guard said in a statement.
Taiwanese company ChungHwa Telecom had announced earlier on Tuesday that a cable had been damaged between the Pescadores Islands, an archipelago in the Taiwan Strait, and the main island of Taiwan, as specified by the Ministry of Digital Affairs.
« The question of whether the severing of the submarine cable was due to intentional sabotage or simply an accident will be determined during the investigation, » the coast guard officials stated.
Possible Intrusion into the « Gray Zone »
The crew of the ship, registered under a flag of convenience, consisted of eight Chinese sailors and was funded by Chinese sources, the same source added.
« It is not excluded that this could be an intrusion by China into the gray zone, » the coast guard officials stated, referring to destabilizing actions that do not constitute an act of war. « The coast guard will cooperate with prosecutors in the investigation, » they added.
Beijing considers the island, which has been separately governed since 1949, as part of its territory and has never ruled out using force to regain control. In recent years, China has increased its military pressure and has been deploying fighter jets and warships around the island almost daily.
Source: Le Monde
