This Thursday, Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) reported to the Legislature that some fishing boats have been using multiple automatic identification system (AIS) signals to conceal their tracks. There have also been cases of Taiwanese fishing boats impersonating Chinese Coast Guard AIS signals, she said.
The OAC has established a liaison mechanism with relevant transportation and air traffic control units, in addition to drafting legislative amendments; at present, no penalties exist for such activity.
Regarding the Chang Shun vessel, which flies a Chinese flag of convenience and has made repeated appearances near Taiwan’s submarine cables, Kuan said that the Coast Guard has been on high alert. The ship had left Kaohsiung Port on January 27 this year, but then changed its name on March 21 and returned to Hong Kong for maintenance. During this period, it did not sail directly to the originally declared destination, instead lingering in the waters between Tainan and Hengchun for nearly two months.
The deliberate destruction of Taiwan’s submarine cables by Chinese fishing boats has been a persistent issue in recent months. Kuan emphasized that the Coast Guard has established comprehensive procedures to address these situations.