In Taiwan, there have been 27 cases of cutting submarine cables in five years.

In February 2023, two submarine cables connecting the main island of Taiwan and Matsu Island were cut in a month. It is believed that the first incident occurred when a Chinese fishing boat and the second incident occurred when a Chinese cargo ship passed through the area. It is said that such cases have occurred 27 times in the last five years.

Taiwan suspects Chinese ships cut islands' internet cables | AP News

The submarine cable connecting Taiwan and Matsu Island was cut on February 2, 2023. According to the Coast Guard, the cable was cut by a Chinese fishing boat, and the ship entered Chinese territorial waters as it was. Also, on February 8, 2023, another nearby cable was cut by a Chinese-flagged cargo ship.

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There are 4 similar cases in 2022 and 5 in 2021, for a total of 27 over the past five years.

The Taiwanese government has not described the recent cable disconnection as ``intentional,'' but some experts say that ``the possibility of intentional sabotage by China cannot be denied.'' shown.

Fiber optic cables have cores made of glass or plastic. In the case of optical fibers that are wired in general homes and offices, the protective coating is made of silicon, etc., and the core may break if it is bent strongly.

In the case of a submarine cable, metal pieces are wrapped around the optical fiber, and the cable used in

Even such cables can be easily cut by anchors or steel nets used by fishing boats, Jeff Huston, chief scientist at the Asia-Pacific Network Information Center, told The Associated Press. , Even in the shallow part of the Taiwan Strait, such damage cases are rare.

The two cables will be repaired by April 20, 2023 at the earliest, when the next cable-laying ship will be dispatched. According to residents, the communication speed is significantly slower than fiber optic.