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Chinese Ship Spotted Lurking Over Taiwan-US Undersea Cables
EDITORS: THIS HAS BEEN PRODUCED BY SOFTWARE UNDER DEVELOPMENT - THE CONTENT MAY REQUIRE EXTENSIVE EDITING
'Research Vessel' Seen Loitering Above The 8,000-Mile Pacific Light Cable Network Fiber-Optic System
Hovering over these submarine cables is a clear sign of intelligence gathering, according to Windward, a maritime analysis platform that responded to Newsweek’s questions about the Chinese research vessel’s [tomshardware.com] behavior. The particular cable under its bows was the 8,000-mile Pacific Light Cable Network (PLCN) fiber-optic system. This high-speed cable connects Taiwan and the U.S., as well as the Philippines. Interestingly, the same cable was going to connect Hong Kong, but was rerouted because of American fears over Chinese snooping.
Focusing back on the concerns about internet cable espionage, or even sabotage, Chinese-flagged vessels have been noted for such behaviour before. “Chinese-flagged vessels have been linked to several cable incidents in recent years,” notes Newsweek. Furthermore, incidents aren’t confined to East Asia, with “suspected sabotage in the Baltic Sea and damage to cables around Taiwan.”
China and Taiwan remains a flashpoint on the geopolitical stage, heightened by the island's outsized role in the global technology and semiconductor market, owing primarily to the success of TSMC. Undersea cables have also grown in recent years to become a vital point of infrastructure for nations, and a source of potential weakness against acts of sabotage.
Mark Tyson is a news editor at Tom's Hardware. He enjoys covering the full breadth of PC tech; from business and semiconductor design to products approaching the edge of reason.
