Chinese Ship Severs Underwater Internet Cable along Island’s Coast
Recent reports indicate that a Chinese-owned vessel, the Shunxing 39, is suspected of severing an undersea internet cable near Taiwan’s coast, disrupting communications and raising concerns over China’s escalating aggression toward Taiwan.
This incident is not isolated. In 2023, two undersea cables connecting Taiwan-controlled Matsu islands were cut, disconnecting residents from the internet.
These actions exemplify the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persistent efforts to undermine Taiwan’s sovereignty and destabilize the region.
As the Executive Director of the Falun Dafa Information Center, Levi Browde has witnessed firsthand the CCP’s relentless suppression of cultural and spiritual expression. Our performing arts group, Shen Yun, dedicated to reviving traditional Chinese culture, has faced significant obstacles in bringing performances to Taiwan. The CCP’s hostility toward Falun Dafa practitioners and its broader campaign against cultural freedom have led to numerous challenges, including diplomatic pressure and covert interference, aimed at preventing Shen Yun from performing in Taiwan.
The recent sabotage of Taiwan’s internet infrastructure is a stark reminder of the CCP’s broader strategy to intimidate and isolate Taiwan. By disrupting communication networks, the CCP aims to create fear and uncertainty, undermining Taiwan’s democratic institutions and its people’s resolve.
This aggression extends beyond physical acts of sabotage. The CCP’s influence operations seek to erode cultural identity and suppress artistic expression, as seen in their attempts to hinder Shen Yun’s performances. Such actions are part of a comprehensive strategy to assert control over narratives and diminish the rich cultural heritage that groups like Shen Yun strive to preserve.
The international community must recognize these acts for what they are: deliberate attempts by the CCP to expand its authoritarian reach and suppress freedoms beyond its borders. It is imperative that democratic nations stand in solidarity with Taiwan, condemning these acts of aggression and supporting efforts to maintain open communication channels and cultural exchange.
Furthermore, the challenges faced by Shen Yun in performing in Taiwan highlight the CCP’s broader campaign against cultural and spiritual groups that do not conform to its ideological dictates. By obstructing performances that celebrate traditional Chinese culture, the CCP seeks to monopolize cultural narratives and suppress any expression that reflects the true spirit and history of China.
In conclusion, the severing of Taiwan’s internet cable by a Chinese vessel is a manifestation of the CCP’s ongoing aggression toward Taiwan and its broader agenda to suppress freedom and cultural expression. As we confront these challenges, it is crucial to uphold the values of freedom, democracy, and cultural preservation, standing together against authoritarianism in all its forms.
A spokesperson for the group joins us now to discuss the matter further. We welcome them to the show!
Relevant Article(s)
Chinese Vessel Cuts Taiwan Internet Cable in Apparent Sabotage – WSJ
It Begins: China Cuts Undersea Internet Cables to Taiwan | The Gateway Pundit | by John Mills
Q&A:
- How does China’s cutting of undersea internet cables between Taiwan and the world align with its broader strategy of aggression toward Taiwan?
- What implications does this sabotage have for Taiwan’s ability to maintain global communication and its economic stability?
- Can you draw parallels between China’s actions in Taiwan and its past efforts to suppress cultural expression, such as Shen Yun performances?
- How does the Chinese Communist Party’s hostility toward Falun Dafa practitioners reflect its stance on broader freedom of expression?
- What steps can democratic nations take to counteract China’s growing influence and its acts of aggression, like the cable sabotage?
- How significant is the role of cultural and spiritual groups, such as Falun Dafa, in exposing and resisting CCP oppression?
- How has the international response to this incident been, and what more should be done to hold China accountable?
- What message do you believe this incident sends to Taiwan’s allies and its own people about the urgency of defending freedom and sovereignty?
- Where can we learn more about the beautiful art of Shen Yun, and how it motivates others?
- The official website can be found here. Tickets to shows are also available there for purchase.
ABOUT LEVI BROWDE…
Levi Browde serves as the Executive Director with the New York-based Falun Dafa Information Center – an organization dedicated to ending the human rights abuses against people who practice Falun Gong in China.
A career software entrepreneur, Levi’s life changed dramatically in 1999 when his best friend came to the office one morning and announced the Chinese Communist Party had taken away his mother in Beijing to be tortured and “brainwashed.” This marked the beginning of his volunteer work to defend human rights in China. Two years later, Levi himself was detained in a Chinese jail outside Beijing for secretly meeting with Western reporters and protesting on Tiananmen Square.
Over the past 20 years, Browde has been interviewed and quoted by the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Tribune, CNN, the Associated Press, TIME Magazine, BBC, AFP, and other media outlets. He has spoken about Falun Gong and human rights in China at briefings on Capitol Hill in Washington DC, at the United Nations human rights sessions in Geneva, Switzerland.
Browde studied East Asian Studies at Wesleyan University and is an avid supporter of traditional Chinese culture. He founded several software start-ups, and lives in New York with his wife and two sons.
Samples of Levi on camera:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oS3RS4vJguI
https://tv.faluninfo.net/unmasking-chinas-gestapo-610-office/
https://tv.faluninfo.net/levi-browde-exposes-the-new-york-times-distorted-coverage-of-human-rights/
ABOUT LEESHAI LEMISH…
Leeshai Lemish was born in the United States. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Chinese history from Pomona College, California, and his master’s in international relations from the London School of Economics. He has spent extended periods studying, working, and conducting research throughout East Asia, and has authored articles on Chinese current affairs published in both English and Chinese. He joined Shen Yun Performing Arts when the company was founded in 2006 and has since emceed around 1,500 performances with the company, appearing with Shen Yun at prestigious theaters such as Lincoln Center and the Kennedy Center in the U.S., the London Coliseum, Tokyo Opera City, and many other venues around the world.
For Interviews, contact Bookings@SpecialGuests.com or call Todd Baumann at 512-966-0983.
CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF OUR OTHER GUESTS
Click Here to get booked as an interview guest on Radio or Television talk shows – Special Guests
