TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s Ministry of Digital Affairs is strengthening a “three-dimensional communications network” to ensure connectivity during natural disasters, emergencies, or potential acts of sabotage, per UDN.
Minister of Digital Affairs Lin Yi-jing (林宜敬) made the remarks while briefing President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) and other officials on Tuesday. He said fortifying communications across land, air, and sea is critical to Taiwan's resilience.
At sea, MODA's plan includes the deployment of two international and three domestic undersea communications cables, all of which will be reinforced with protective armor layers to prevent damage. He said Taiwan’s undersea cables have been subject to several alleged acts of sabotage by Chinese vessels in recent years.
Lin said the legislature's passage of amendments earlier this month imposing prison terms for such actions, along with the confiscation of vessels and equipment involved, has helped bolster protection of existing undersea cables.
Besides expanding undersea cable infrastructure, Lin said an emergency satellite communications network will also be rolled out. Taiwan’s first dedicated geostationary satellite, operated by Astranis, will be introduced for high-orbit communications. At the same time, existing OneWeb satellites and emerging low-Earth-orbit systems from Amazon will be incorporated to provide additional redundancy.
On land, MODA will promote the construction of highly resilient base stations and provide subsidies to telecommunications companies to add satellite-equipped mobile vehicles and portable generators, Lin said. These measures are intended to keep networks functioning even if power supplies or fixed infrastructure are disrupted.
Lin said communications resilience also depends on stronger cybersecurity protections, as well as data backup and system redundancy. The initiative is guided by three core objectives: uninterrupted network coverage, robust cybersecurity defenses against hacking, and the continuous operation of critical information systems.
Describing cybersecurity as a constant battle between good and bad actors, Lin said the government will work to identify and close known vulnerabilities and will conduct regular attack-and-defense drills. If a new vulnerability is discovered and systems are compromised, MODA will establish a rapid-response cybersecurity task force to repair and restore affected systems as quickly as possible.
Lin added that data should be regularly backed up, with emergency drills also undertaken to ensure essential public services can continue operating during disruptions. These preparations, he said, are critical to maintaining basic social order when emergencies affect critical infrastructure.
