TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Legislative Yuan is set to review amendments to seven submarine cable–related laws, Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) said on Tuesday.
Kuan said the revised laws would strengthen submarine cable protection by making Automatic Identification System (AIS) use mandatory in territorial waters to maintain transparency and traceability, per CNA. She added that vessels found loitering abnormally could be ordered to leave, and those refusing to comply would be denied entry to Taiwan’s ports.
Preventing such ships from entering ports is crucial, Kuan said, because vessels intending to loiter for extended periods must occasionally dock for resupply. By denying port access, the Coast Guard effectively prevents vessels that could threaten undersea cables from remaining nearby. Kuan hoped lawmakers would pass the amendments to strengthen Taiwan’s maritime security.
The seven laws include the Telecommunications Management Act, Electricity Act, Natural Gas Enterprise Act, Water Supply Act, Meteorological Act, Commercial Port Law, and Law of Ships. The Legislative Yuan’s Economics Committee will first review amendments to the Electricity Act, Natural Gas Enterprise Act, and Water Supply Act on Wednesday.
The Cabinet approved the amendments in September, aligning penalties for damaging submarine cables with those for tampering with water and natural gas pipelines. Intentional offenses could carry prison sentences of up to seven years, with harsher penalties for more severe cases, per CNA. The revisions also add provisions for confiscating offending vessels.
The Coast Guard Administration, which will play a key role in enforcing the new rules, participated in the amendment process and provided input, Kuan said.
According to the Global Taiwan Institute, Taiwan has 24 cables connecting it to the world, and China-linked vessels have cut or damaged Taiwan’s undersea cables three times in the past two years.
In February 2023, two cables servicing the Matsu Islands were severed. In January of this year, the Chinese vessel Shunxin 39 allegedly damaged the TPE cable, while a month later the Chinese ship Hong Tai 58 damaged the TPKM-3 undersea cable linking Penghu with Taiwan.
