Taiwan restores undersea cable communications to Matsu after repairs

Taipei [Taiwan], January 25 : Chunghwa Telecom announced yesterday that communication between Taiwan and Lienchiang County (Matsu) via undersea cable has been restored following a partial repair of the Taiwan-Matsu No. 2 undersea cable, one of two cables damaged earlier this month, Taipei Times reported.
In a press release, Chunghwa Telecom confirmed that transmission through the No. 2 cable resumed at 11:40 am on Wednesday. The restoration involved "core wire-by-core wire testing and timely emergency repairs by Chunghwa Telecom staff." With the restoration complete, microwave communication, which had been in use since earlier that day, reverted to a backup function.
The Taiwan-Matsu No. 2 and No. 3 undersea communication cables were both severed due to "natural deterioration," the Ministry of Digital Affairs reported. The No. 2 cable was damaged at around 5 am on Wednesday, while the No. 3 cable became disconnected on January 15.
Work to repair the No. 3 cable is ongoing. Chunghwa Telecom stated that it is actively coordinating with international undersea cable-repair ships to inspect and repair both cables fully. "Repairs are expected to be completed in the near term, sea conditions permitting, to provide Matsu with more stable communication service and quality," the company said as per reports by Taipei Times.
Separately, Chunghwa Telecom reported the repair of the Trans-Pacific Express (TPE) international undersea cable, which resumed normal operations on Monday after being severed on January 3. The cable, essential for communication traffic between Taiwan and other countries, was damaged 68.17km from the company's Tamsui cable station off Taiwan's northern coast.
A Cameroon-flagged, Chinese-operated freighter, Shunxin-39, is suspected of causing the damage. Chunghwa Telecom said it contacted a Yokohama-based agency in Japan to dispatch a repair ship, enabling restoration of communication between Taiwan and nations including the US, Japan, and South Korea, Taipei Times reported.
Taiwan operates 14 international undersea communication cables and 10 domestic cables, all critical to maintaining stable and efficient connectivity. Chunghwa Telecom, 35.29 per cent owned by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, said it is committed to ensuring reliable communication services despite these challenges.