Taiwan Proposes Tougher Laws to Protect Undersea Cables

By Taiwan News
September 19, 2025

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s Cabinet on Thursday approved amendments to seven laws in an effort to bolster protection of undersea cables and other critical infrastructure, amid rising concerns over foreign sabotage.

The amendments cover seven regulations: the Telecommunications Management Act (電信管理法), the Electricity Act (電業法), the Natural Gas Enterprise Act (天然氣事業法), the Water Supply Act (自來水法), the Meteorological Act (氣象法), the Commercial Port Law (商港法), and the Law of Ships (船舶法), per the Cabinet.

The ruling DPP has listed the amendments as a legislative priority for the current session.

The proposed legal changes would increase penalties for intentionally damaging infrastructure such as submarine communications cables, undersea power lines, and pipelines for water and natural gas, CNA quoted Cabinet official Hsieh Chun-lung (謝俊隆) as saying.

Offenders could face up to seven years in prison and fines of up to NT$10 million (US$331,902), with harsher penalties in serious cases. Authorities would also gain the power to seize vessels or equipment used in the crimes, regardless of ownership.

Ships will be asked to maintain active Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) to ensure traceability, he added.

Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said at a press conference that the new measures should safeguard both national security and the country’s essential services, including communications, power, water supply, and energy transmission.

The legislation follows a series of incidents in which Taiwan’s undersea communications cables were severed by foreign vessels, many of them flying “flags of convenience” or operated under unclear ownership.

In early 2023, two undersea internet cables connecting Taiwan's main island with the outlying Matsu Islands were cut by Chinese-flagged vessels within weeks of each other. The incidents disrupted communications and sparked national security concerns.

Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) said many of the offending vessels are low-cost, poorly maintained ships often used to evade detection.

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