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Cybersecurity

Musk Ultimatum to Taiwan Imperils Its Push to War-Proof Internet

The billionaire is pushing for 100% control of any local venture at a time when the island needs a low-Earth orbit satellite network should China invade

Bloomberg business news — Musk Ultimatum to Taiwan Imperils War-Proof Internet

By

Jamie Tarabay and

July 6, 2023, 4:01 PM UTC

All that stands between Taiwan and a near-total internet blackout are 14 undersea cables — a network that would make an easy target in the event of a war with China.

And as tensions with Asia’s biggest economy increase, Taiwan’s government has been trying to bolster the island’s communications, traveling the globe to find a low-orbit satellite system that could back up connections in the event of a failure.