The Taiwanese coast guard is boarding the Chinese-owned vessel ”Hong Tai” after it was caught destroying an undersea telecommunications cable between Taiwan & its Kinmen island near China.
The crew, which is all Chinese, is being detained and taken to Taiwan.
This is an embarrassment for Xi. China will demand the return of its citizens. Taiwan can either comply or negotiate for something in return. If Taiwan requests anything in exchange, China could have “casus belli” to retrieve its citizens by force.
Taiwan’s swift action shows its resolve to protect critical infrastructure amid rising tensions with China. This could escalate further—staying vigilant is key.