The Taiwan Coast Guard said on Monday it had detained a China-bound cargo ship after an undersea cable near the Penghu Islands in the Taiwan Strait was cut, Reuters and BTA reported.
Taiwan, which Beijing considers its territory, has repeatedly reported "subversive actions" by China in the region. These include launching balloons and dredging sand - tactics aimed at putting pressure on the island without direct military confrontation.
The concern in Taipei grew after another undersea cable was damaged earlier this year, with a Chinese-bound ship again suspected of the incident. This has forced Taiwan's navy and other services to step up efforts to protect the communication lines, which are critical to Taiwan's connection to the world.
The coast guard said it had dispatched three patrol boats to intercept the "Hong Tai 58", a cargo ship registered in Togo but operated by a Chinese crew. The vessel was anchored near the cable at the time it was severed.
According to Taiwanese authorities, the ship was "flying a foreign flag", meaning it was registered in a country other than its owner.
"All eight crew members are Chinese citizens and we do not rule out the possibility of malicious actions by China," the coast guard said in a statement. Authorities stressed that the investigation is ongoing.
China's Taiwan Affairs Office has not yet responded to Reuters requests for comment, and the ship's owner was also unavailable for comment.