Taiwan and Japan to Cooperate on Submarine Cable Security

Taiwanese and Japanese ruling party lawmakers convened on Wednesday to discuss the security of submarine communication cables in the waters surrounding Taiwan. This agreement was reached within the existing framework of maritime affairs talks between Tokyo and Taipei officials, prompted by recent reports of cable damage.

Following the meeting, Kuo Kuo-wen, a lawmaker from Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party, informed reporters that both sides are eager to collaborate concretely on this issue. He highlighted Taiwan's significant need in this area, where Japan possesses advanced technological capabilities.

Chen Kuan-ting, another DPP lawmaker, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the importance of strengthening capabilities for maintaining and repairing these vulnerable cables.

The maritime cooperation framework, under which the submarine cable issue will be addressed, was established in 2016. It involves organizations representing the interests of Japan and Taiwan, given the absence of formal diplomatic relations between the two.

The lawmakers' discussions were prompted by the confirmation from Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs that three of the fourteen international communication cables connected to Taiwan are currently undergoing repair. The ministry also stated that communication services have remained unaffected due to the use of backup routes and that an investigation into the cause of the damage is underway.

In addition to the submarine cable issue, the meeting between ruling party members from Taiwan and Japan, who are responsible for foreign affairs and defense, also covered topics such as trade, public health, and disaster resilience cooperation. Key Japanese lawmakers present included Tsuyoshi Hoshino, head of the LDP's Foreign Affairs Division, and Kazuchika Iwata, chief of the party's National Defense Division.