TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) launched a global initiative to improve the security of undersea cables at a forum in Taipei on Tuesday.
Speaking at the inaugural Taiwan-Europe Undersea Cables Security and Cooperation Forum, Lin said undersea cables face growing threats from environmental risks, accidental damage, vandalism, and geopolitical tensions. He said more cooperation was needed, such as information sharing, to reform existing laws to provide more protection for undersea cables, per CNA.
Lin emphasized that undersea cables are vital to financial markets, supply chains, energy systems, and national security. Beyond natural disasters and fishing activity, he said, the most concerning issue is deliberate sabotage, especially as a form of hybrid warfare and geopolitical coercion.
“Disrupting or interfering with communications to gain a strategic advantage is not science fiction; it’s a reality,” Lin said, urging countries to remain vigilant.
He noted that many international undersea cables pass through or near Taiwan, connecting Europe, the US, and the Indo-Pacific region. This makes Taiwan strategically significant and responsible for helping safeguard these critical connections, Lin said.
“The security of the Taiwan Strait is a matter of public interest, and Taiwan will fulfill its responsibility to maintain regional security,” he added.
Lin called for shared awareness and joint decision-making among countries to protect undersea cables, announcing the RISK Management Initiative on International Undersea Cables, an acronym for risk mitigation, information sharing, systemic reform, and knowledge building. He stated that the initiative aims to create an open and collaborative platform that welcomes global participation.
Rihards Kols, a member of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, said Taiwan’s experience in this area is critical and that it must be part of the global dialogue.
Kols added that a joint statement issued by European parliamentarians attending this year’s Formosa Club Annual Meeting reached a consensus on expanding EU-Taiwan cooperation to protect critical infrastructure essential to democracy, global peace, and stability.
