China’s government says Taiwan was “manipulating” possible Chinese involvement in the latest severing of an undersea communications cable

Taiwan was “manipulating” potential Chinese participation in the recent cutting of an underwater communications cable, according to China’s government, which said the island was spreading rumors before the facts were known.

China claims Taiwan as its own territory, and Taiwan has frequently complained about “grey zone” Chinese actions, such sand dredging and balloon overflights, that are intended to put pressure on the island without resorting to outright conflict.

Following the disconnecting of a nearby underwater cable to the Penghu Islands in the delicate Taiwan Strait, Taiwan’s coast guard reported that it had apprehended a cargo ship with ties to China on Tuesday.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office spokeswoman, Zhu Fenglian, told reporters in Beijing that damage to underwater cables is a “common maritime accident” that happens more than a hundred times a year worldwide.

“While the basic facts and the people responsible for the accident have not yet been clarified, the Democratic Progressive Party authorities have deliberately exaggerated the situation in an attempt at political manipulation, which will not enjoy popular support,” she said, referring to Taiwan’s ruling party.

The navy and other authorities stepped up efforts to preserve the underwater communication cables, which are essential to the island’s connections to the rest of the world, after Taipei was disturbed by a Chinese-affiliated ship that was suspected of breaking another cable earlier this year.

Taiwan, whose government disputes Beijing’s claims to sovereignty, has compared the damage to underwater cables in the Baltic Sea during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to what it has gone through.

Taiwan has blamed ships that fly the “flags of convenience” of other nations but are actually Chinese.

According to Taiwan’s authorities, Chinese ships flying convenience flags have “the mark of evil about them” as of recently.

Taiwan has also expressed dissatisfaction about China’s coast guard’s frequent patrols in the limited seas surrounding the Taiwan-controlled Kinmen islands, which are located near the Chinese towns of Quanzhou and Xiamen.

China started the patrols last year after two Chinese nationals perished while attempting to escape Taiwan’s coast guard when their boat entered forbidden seas close to Kinmen. The country claims the operations are for normal law enforcement.

The Chinese coast guard has been conducting similar missions, on average, four times a month, Taiwan’s coast guard said on Wednesday.

“An analysis of their sailing patterns shows that they have become ‘routine harassment’ not ‘law enforcement inspections’,” Taiwan’s coast guard said in a statement.

“This has not only affected the atmosphere across the Taiwan Strait, but also undermines regional peace and stability.”

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