Premier Cho Launches Taiwan-Matsu No. 4 Subsea Cable as Communications-Resilience Backstop

Premier Cho Jung-tai inaugurated the Taiwan-Matsu Subsea Cable No. 4 in Lienchiang County on September 18, 2026, calling it part of the government's 'preemptive preparations' to bolster communications resilience for the outlying Matsu Islands. The NT$1.4 billion (~US$44 million) cable, built by Dong Fang Offshore, spans 294 kilometers connecting New Taipei's Bali District with Dongyin, Nangan and Juguang townships in Lienchiang County, lifting total transmission capacity to about 1.9 terabits per second and providing backup capacity should other undersea links be damaged. The launch follows repeated disruptions to Matsu's connectivity since February 2023, including shipping-related cable cuts, some attributed to Chinese vessels, that left the islands without stable internet service for weeks at a time. Cho said future resilience plans would also draw on microwave links and low-orbit satellites.