What Actually Caused the Latest Submarine Cut Near Taiwan?
A cable linking Matsu Island to Taiwan was severed – again. And again, Chinese vessels were operating in the area.
by Brian Hioe
The April 2026 incident marked the third time in the past four years that the No. 3 cable connecting Beigan and Dongyin in Matsu has been cut. The cut impacted the 1,500 residents of Dongyin Township, who can continue to access mobile, voice, and data services, but will be impacted by reduced connectivity
The Diplomat spoke to national security experts at ingeniSPACE, a geospatial intelligence company that specializes in monitoring the irregular warfare around the global. When it comes to deliberate cuts of submarine cables, analysts pointed to several patterns of plausible deniability. For example, submarine wire cuts in the Baltic Sea involved vessels dragging anchors, including China and Russia-flagged vessels. When the damage is attributed to a specific vessel, the captain and crew always claim it was an accident.
“China and Russia continue to innovate and blur the lines of modern warfare,” said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. “China prefers ‘invisible hybrid warfare’ (隐形混合战) over kinetic warfare. Covert irregular warfare enables China the means to quietly overwhelm its targets not only physically but economically and politically as well – all without firing a shot. The use of civilian fishing vessels not only provide plausible deniability but legitimizes China’s claims and salami-slicing tactics as lawful and just.”