TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's National Security Bureau (NSB, 國安局) announced on Thursday (Jan. 16) that it has launched an international cooperation mechanism after the Shunxin-39 (順興39), a Cameroon-flagged cargo ship, recently lingered off Taiwan's northeastern coast, allegedly severing Chunghwa Telecom's (中華電信) undersea cables.
NSB Director-General Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥) and Wellington Koo (顧立雄), Minister of National Defense, attended a session of the Foreign and National Defense Committee to discuss the cargo ship incident and CCP activities. Speaking before the meeting, Tsai emphasized the need to address Chinese Communist Party (中共) gray zone intrusions and stated that prosecutors are investigating the case. He added that the NSB respects the judicial process while engaging international allies.
The Ministry of National Defense (MND, 國防部) and the Coast Guard Administration (CGA, 海巡署) have established a notification mechanism to address whether the CCP is using third-country vessels to deploy maritime surveillance equipment or damage undersea cable systems. Tsai highlighted the importance of countering various foreign security threats, as outlined in recent reports on CCP disinformation, cyberattacks, and espionage.
Tsai noted that the legislature has long warned of CCP infiltration activities and stressed that a comprehensive analysis of CCP activities during the annual transition period aims to enhance societal resilience.
