A Chinese ship captain received three years behind bars for cutting underwater cables near Taiwan. Wang commanded the Hong Tai 58 vessel that damaged connections between Taiwan and nearby islands. Courts handed down the first prison sentence after several cable breaks around the island nation. Taiwan accuses China of attacking its internet links as pressure tactics. China denies the claims and calls them normal sea accidents.
Coast guards spotted the suspicious ship anchored off Taiwan's coast for days. The crew cut cables right after leaving the area. Officials brought the vessel back and arrested eight Chinese sailors. Wang faced charges alone after initially denying the damage. He later admitted he might have broken the cables during rough weather conditions.
Prosecutors proved Wang acted on purpose using ship navigation charts. The vessel sailed in zigzag patterns around cable locations. Taiwan monitors 52 suspicious ships for potential sabotage activities. Officials worry about future attacks on critical internet infrastructure. Experts compare cable cutting to acts of war between nations.
Coast guards spotted the suspicious ship anchored off Taiwan's coast for days. The crew cut cables right after leaving the area. Officials brought the vessel back and arrested eight Chinese sailors. Wang faced charges alone after initially denying the damage. He later admitted he might have broken the cables during rough weather conditions.
Prosecutors proved Wang acted on purpose using ship navigation charts. The vessel sailed in zigzag patterns around cable locations. Taiwan monitors 52 suspicious ships for potential sabotage activities. Officials worry about future attacks on critical internet infrastructure. Experts compare cable cutting to acts of war between nations.
