TAIPEI, April 30 (Reuters) – Taiwan has activated backup communications for its northernmost territory, the remote and strategic Dongyin Island, after severe weather conditions apparently diverted the remains of a ship onto an undersea cable, causing it to break.
The vulnerability of undersea communications cables linking Taiwan to its outlying islands has been a focus of concern in Taipei, where the government has repeatedly accused Chinese ships of deliberately causing damage.
Dongyin City, with a population of about 1,500, is strategically located at the tip of the Taiwan Strait and has a large military presence on the island. It has no airport and relies on ferries from Taiwan.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Digital Affairs said in a statement late Wednesday that the cable connecting Dongyin and Beigan had broken. Beigan is part of the Taiwan-controlled Matsu Islands, off the coast of China.
The microwave communication backup system has been activated to transfer voice communications and Internet services. Dongyin’s mobile phone, voice, and data Internet services are operating normally.
Cable TV services are not operational and some internet services may experience minor delays due to weather conditions, it added.
Repairs to the cables by Chunghwa Telecom are expected to be completed by the end of July, but this will depend on weather conditions, the ministry said.
In 2023, two undersea cables connecting the Matsu Islands were severed, causing an internet outage. Taiwanese authorities said two Chinese ships caused the disruption but said there was no evidence Beijing deliberately tampered with the cable.
Since then, Taiwan has been working to improve its communications capabilities in response to emergencies including conflicts with mainland China, such as a trial program using low-Earth orbit satellites in remote areas such as Matsu.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)