作者/Author(s): Elisabeth Braw 

網站來源/Source: Foreign Policy 

日期/Date: 01/23/2025 

關鍵字/Keywords: 電信、灰色地帶戰爭、中國、海底電纜 

摘要：

馬祖群島近期再度因海底通信電纜受損導致網路中斷，但台灣政府已採取應對措施，將影響降至最低。台灣在確保電信系統韌性方面的經驗，可為全球提供寶貴的參考。 

  • 2023年2月，馬祖居民經歷了一場網路癱瘓，嚴重影響當地民生與日常運作。為迅速恢復關鍵通訊，台灣最大電信業者中華電信緊急於島上門市附近設置Wi-Fi熱點，居民才得以恢復基本的商業與通訊活動。然而，由於海底電纜維修船資源有限，網路中斷問題持續了數週，突顯了離島電信基礎設施的脆弱性。 
  • 海底電纜斷裂事件極為罕見，但可能成為未來中國灰色地帶戰術之一。各國難以證明電纜破壞行為是蓄意的，是否直接受到政府指使。
  • 近期馬祖再度發生網路中斷事件，疑似與一艘懸掛喀麥隆國旗、由中國擁有的貨船有關。台灣海巡署曾短暫扣留該船，但因惡劣天氣不得不釋放。台灣政府將這次中斷歸因於電纜老化，但無法解釋為何兩條電纜會同時發生故障。 
  • 然而，台灣政府已經有不少備援方案，以降低通信中斷影響。 
  1. 中華電信與政府合作，在馬祖周邊架設微波與衛星通訊設備，確保基本網路功能維持運作。但該系統優先提供政府機關、銀行與醫院等關鍵基礎設施使用，以確保社會穩定。 
  2. 電信公司也部署了衛星，作為備援方案。 
  • 雖然馬祖在地圖上只是很小的島嶼，但它已成為全球應對海底電纜破壞事件的試驗場。其他國家可以參考台灣的經驗，提升自身電信基礎設施的韌性。 
  • 雖然建立備援系統成本高昂，但相較於全面網路癱瘓，這些投資可確保公共服務的穩定運作，維繫社會大眾對政府應變能力的信心。 
 
Summary: 
Taiwan's Matsu Island experienced another internet disruption due to damages to its undersea telecommunication cables, but the Taiwanese government has already employed alternatives to minimize the disruption. The world could learn from Taiwan's experience in ensuring the resilience of telecommunication systems. 
  • Matsu Island residents experienced an internet blackout in February 2023, disrupting their daily lives. Consequently, Taiwan's largest telecommunication provider, Chunghwa Telecom, rapidly set up Wi-Fi satellite hot spots near its island stores, allowing people to resume essential businesses. The internet disruption persisted for weeks because the availability of cable repair ships was limited.  
  • Cable cutting is rare and is a sign of China's future gray-zone tactic. Therefore, proving cable-cutting incidents as deliberate or acting under the government's orders is difficult. 
  • Matsu Island recently suffered internet disruption again, with a Cameroon-flagged, Chinese-owned ship as the suspect. The Taiwanese Coast Guard briefly detained the vessel but had to release the suspect due to bad weather, allowing the suspect to escape. The Taiwanese government called the recent disruption due to the degradation of the cables but could not justify the simultaneous deterioration of two cables. 
  • However, the Taiwan government already had backup plans to mitigate the disruption. 
  1. Chunghua Telecom and the government had set up microwave and satellite infrastructure around the island, allowing people to continue using the Internet. However, the government prioritized the system for essential services such as government agencies, banks, and hospitals.  
  2. The telecom company also deployed satellites as backups to the current backups. 
  • Although Matsu Island is minuscule on the world map, it is a laboratory for alleviating cable-cutting incidents. Other countries could learn from the Taiwanese government to increase telecommunication systems' resilience. 
  • Although the backup systems are expensive, they are better than a complete internet blackout and signal resolution in assuring the public. 
回上層