Taiwan Takes on 'Grey-Zone' Warfare Threat with 24-Hour Sea Cable Patrols

Taiwanese coast guard captain Juan Chung-ching's patrol boat moved across the Taiwan Strait, scanning for threats to what Taipei says is the newest target of China's grey-zone warfare: undersea cables vital to the democratic island's communications.

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ON BOARD THE TAIWAN COAST GUARD SHIP PP-10079, Taiwan Strait — Taiwanese coast guard captain Juan Chung-ching's patrol boat moved across the Taiwan Strait, scanning for threats to what Taipei says is the newest target of China's grey-zone warfare: undersea cables vital to the democratic island's communications.

Capt. Juan steered his 100-tonne vessel, armed with water cannon and an autocannon, towards TP3, the undersea cable that made international headlines when a Chinese captain was found guilty of deliberately severing it in 2025.

TP3 is one of 24 undersea cables connecting Taiwan to the domestic or global internet.

Capt. Juan said such missions have become a top priority to combat China's grey-zone warfare, a tactic meant to drain Taiwan's resources while falling short of an act of war.

On Aug. 28, Reuters became the first media outlet to join one of these patrols.