China Takes Russian Cable Tactics to Taiwan
Cutting off the island’s internet tightens the sense of isolation Beijing wants to build.
Dangerous waters between China and Taiwan.
Photographer: I-Hwa Cheng/AFP/Getty Images
After squeezing Taiwan in the skies and the seas, China is using tactics that Russia has employed to great effect in the Ukraine war and is now intensifying its sabotage of undersea cables around the self-ruled island. Beijing has reportedly targeted the vital communications network, cutting off equipment and leaving Taipei economically vulnerable and potentially isolated in the event of an all-out attack. It’s a reminder of the mainland’s ability to control what it sees as its own territory, and a warning to other countries — in particular the US — not to get involved.
We’re all distracted by Donald Trump and the new administration, but we ignore these events at our peril — they set a dangerous precedent. During a recent trip to Taipei, it was striking how little urgency citizens felt about preparing for the Chinese threat. The scale of the undersea cable attacks may be small now, but left unchecked they will no doubt pick up pace, endangering the island’s 23 million people and its economy.