Taiwan and China traded barbs over what the government in Taipei suspects was a Chinese-linked ship's damage to an undersea communications cable off the island's coast, an incident that has raised alarm
Taiwan and China traded barbs over what the government in Taipei suspects was a Chinese-linked ship's damage to an undersea communications cable off the island's coast, an incident that has raised alarm bells on the island.
The ship owner, speaking to Reuters on Wednesday, said there was no evidence the ship was involved. Taiwan's coast guard suspects the ship damaged the cable off the island's northern coast late last week, but was unable to board it to investigate due to bad weather.
The coast guard said it "cannot rule out the possibility" the ship, registered both in Cameroon and Tanzania but owned by a Hong Kong company, was engaged in "grey zone" activities. However, it has not provided any direct evidence of this.
Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has repeatedly complained about "grey zone" Chinese activities around the island, designed to pressure it without direct confrontation, such as balloon overflights and sand dredging.
Late Wednesday, China's Taiwan Affairs Office said damage to undersea cables are "common maritime accidents" and Taiwan was making accusations "out of thin air" and intentionally hyping up the "so-called grey zone threat from the mainland".
Responding to that statement, Taiwan's China-policy making Mainland
Content Original Link:
" target="_blank">
