A Chinese captain surnamed Wu who captained a fishing boat caused damage to the Taiwan-Matsu No. 2 Submarine Cable in October 2025. He was sentenced to 3 months in prison for the offense of negligently damaging the submarine cable by the Lianjiang District Court. Wu also had to pay a fine and compensate Chunghwa Telecom for NT$250,000 in damages. On January 8, 2026, the Taiwan Coast Guard Administration, in collaboration with the Immigration Agency, enforced Wu’s deportation to Fujian’s Huangqi Port in China.
In the case of the Chinese fishing boat “Min Lian Yu 60138” damaging the Taiwan-Matsu No. 2 Submarine Cable (TDM2) on October 7, 2025, the Taiwan Coast Guard Administration stated on the 8th that they received a report from Chunghwa Telecom on the evening of October 7, 2025, about the damage to the submarine cable. The “Min” boat was inspected around 1 a.m. on the 8th, and Captain Wu was taken in for investigation.
The case against Captain Wu was concluded by the Lianjiang District Court in Fujian on December 4, 2025, with a confirmed sentence of 3 months in jail. On the morning of the 8th, the Mainland Affairs Council approved Wu’s deportation. At 9:40 a.m., the Coast Guard Administration, in collaboration with the Immigration Agency, enforced Wu’s deportation to Fujian’s Huangqi Port via the Fuao Port on Nangan Island using the “small three links” mode.
The Taiwan Coast Guard Administration emphasized that the Republic of China is a democratic country under the rule of law. Judicial authorities uphold a fair and objective stance, strictly basing facts on scientific evidence, and implementing the principle of “intent goes to intent, accident goes to accident.” In this case, Captain Wu’s negligence in fishing operation led to the damage because he failed to pay attention to the position of the submarine cable indicated on the electronic chart. He confessed to the offense, reached a settlement with the victim, and paid compensation, leading the court to classify the offense as “negligence” and sentence him to 3 months in prison.
Comparatively, in the case of the cargo ship “Hongtai 58” damaging the Taiwan-Penghu No. 3 Submarine Cable in February 2025, Captain Wang was found to have “intentionally” destroyed Taiwan’s undersea cable. He was ultimately sentenced to 3 years in prison, demonstrating the independence of Taiwan’s judiciary and clear sentencing standards.
The Taiwan Coast Guard Administration indicated that undersea cables are vital infrastructure for Taiwan. They work closely with prosecutors and other agencies, employing technology for monitoring and surveillance to strictly crack down on cable-cutting incidents. The Coast Guard Administration emphasized that any illegal acts of damaging submarine cables will be promptly intercepted, inspected, and reported to the authorities for investigation, with the full effort to protect the safety and resilience of Taiwan’s submarine cables.