Taipei: Taiwan needs to streamline the application process for new undersea cables to "encourage more investment," while also prioritizing the protection of critical underwater infrastructure against China's "gray zone" threats, the head of the Taiwan Network Information Center (TWNIC) said Wednesday. In his keynote speech at the TWNIC Engagement Forum in Taipei, TWNIC Chairman Kenny Huang emphasized the importance of this initiative, highlighting Taiwan's current reliance on only 14 international submarine cables, with a few more in development.

According to Focus Taiwan, Huang described these undersea communication cables as a "digital lifeline" for Taiwan, responsible for carrying 99 percent of the country's internet traffic. While international cables are generally developed through global joint ventures, all domestic cables fall under the ownership and operation of Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan's primary telecom service provider, as noted by the Ministry of Digital Affairs.

Huang pointed out the complexities involved in the permit application process for new undersea cables, requiring approvals from various government agencies such as the National Communications Commission, the Ministry of the Interior, and even the Ministry of Culture (MOC). A presentation by Huang revealed that the approval process for an underwater cultural heritage survey can take up to eight months, with the report approval extending to 12 months. Additionally, the system inspection permits take an average of 29 months, significantly longer than the Asia-Pacific regional average of 14 months.

Huang suggested that the review process includes unnecessary steps, proposing that the cultural heritage survey be required only if such heritage is discovered, a practice already in place in countries like Japan, the Philippines, and Australia. He also highlighted the need for "new capabilities" to protect critical underwater infrastructure (CUI), which includes power cables, oil pipelines, and communication cables.

The underwater domain presents a natural setting for "gray zone" actions, where disruptions can occur without immediate detection. Huang advocated for the development of a full digital model of Taiwan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) using sonar imaging to monitor the undersea environment, suggesting that if costs are prohibitive, the model could initially focus on Taiwan's territorial waters.

In response to questions about Taiwan's current ability to defend its CUI, Huang stated that the government should devise a national strategy for CUI protection, prioritizing based on available resources. Taiwan has faced several incidents in recent years where undersea cables were damaged, either by natural causes or deliberate actions, temporarily affecting internet connectivity. Some incidents have been attributed to Chinese "gray zone" tactics, which involve aggressive actions that stop short of open conflict.

Earlier this month, Tainan prosecutors indicted the Chinese captain of a Togolese-registered vessel suspected of deliberately cutting an undersea communication cable linking Taiwan and Penghu, exemplifying the ongoing threats to Taiwan's undersea infrastructure.