Specific Issues for Discussion:
At present, 300 submarine cables worldwide bear 99% of the global data traffic. In other words, any disruption to these cables would result in a global network outage. Particularly for Taiwan, surrounded by seas on all sides, its external transportation and trade heavily rely on maritime areas, making submarine cables the lifeline connecting Taiwan to the world.Although the objective data suggests the paramount importance of submarine cables, people tend to ignore the significance of these cables when they lie silently at the bottom of deep sea. It is sometimes frightening to think of how easily we forget their inherent fragility and constant susceptibility to risks.
Whether viewed from the micro perspective of individual digital lives or the macro perspective of Taiwan as a key node in the global network, the security of submarine cables is a fundamental test of digital resilience. It is not surprising that many reports from think tanks have repeatedly pointed out that in the event of a conflict across Taiwan Strait, submarine cables and landing stations are likely to be the primary targets of initial attacks.
Due to the crucial importance of this issue to Taiwan and the stability of Asia-Pacific region, I am writing this proposal for the committee’s consideration : this panel is intended to have discussants from across Asian and Pacific countries , despite the theme topic is the undersea cable in Taiwan, the whole discussion would be put into a wider regional perspective. In short, if we consider the digital resilience of Taiwan as part of the foundation of the Asia-Pacific stability, it is necessary to examine the issue through a regional/international lense and that is the main purpose of this proposal.
