作者/Author(s): Priscilla Tomaz and Julia Voo 

網站來源/Source: International Institute for Strategic Studies 

日期/Date: 10/10/2024 

關鍵字/Keywords: 基礎建設、網路、海底電纜 

 

摘要：
亞太地區擁有全球最密集的海底電纜系統。自2017年以來，馬祖多次的網路中斷源於海底電纜意外損壞。雖然各國對海底電纜的使用需求大幅提升，但維護與投資量不足，僅有少量修理船隻。在地緣政治不確定性日益攀升的情況下，海底電纜儼然成為亞太國家的弱點。
  • 海底電纜為軍事和貿易的通訊線路，是重要的基礎設施。 
  • 隨著中國與台灣之間地緣政治緊張局勢加劇，加之各國很難證明海底電纜是被蓄意破壞，海底電纜成為中國可以利用的弱點。因此，亞太國家正在投資替代海底電纜的技術或提升電纜的韌性。 
  • 大量中國公司是現今海底電纜的擁有者或供應商，因此，一些亞太國家開始與中國競爭，降低中國海底電纜產業的戰略優勢。
  • 亞太地區擁有地區維修協議，在維修海底電纜方面具備優勢，但因為官僚制度的侷限性，通常需要耗費大量時間才能展開維修程序。東南亞國協（ASEAN）設計了一個架構，簡化海底電纜維修程序，部分成員國也在國內提起修法，建立一致的架構。 
  • 雖然海底電纜數量不斷增加，但維修船隻數量嚴重不足，其中一些船隻更面臨老化問題。比起維修電纜，鋪設新電纜可能利潤更高。此外，維修電纜的成本高昂，維修公司會優先服務願意支付更高費用的客戶，因此私人科技公司通常比本地電信公司更快修好電纜。 
Summary: 
The Asia-Pacific region has the densest network of submarine cables in the world. Since 2017, Taiwan's Matsu Island experienced repeated internet disruptions caused by unintentional damage to undersea cables. Despite the boom in submarine cables' usage, their maintenance is underinvested, with only a limited number of repair ships. Facing increased geopolitical uncertainties, submarine cables became a vulnerability to Asia-Pacific states. 
  • Submarine cables are important infrastructure as communication lines for militaries and trade. 
  • As geopolitical tension between China and Taiwan intensified, submarine cables became a weakness that China could exploit, particularly when it is difficult to prove sabotage on submarine cables. Consequently, Asia-Pacific countries are investing in alternatives to submarine cables or improving cables' resilience. 
  • More Chinese companies became owners or suppliers of submarine cables. Therefore, some Asia-Pacific countries are competing with China to reduce China's strategic advantage in the industry. 
  • Asia-Pacific should be well positioned in cable maintenance because they have regional maintenance agreements. In reality, repairs will take a long time to commence due to bureaucratic restrictions. ASEAN devised a framework to streamline submarine cable repairs and some members updated their regulations to comply with the framework. 
  • Despite the increase in cable networks, there is a shortage of maintenance ships and some of them are aging because laying new cables is more profitable. Moreover, cable repairs are expensive and cable repair companies will prioritize maintaining those willing to pay more, favoring private tech firms over local telecommunication companies. 
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