China has accused Taiwan of manipulating the narrative surrounding the recent severing of an undersea communications cable, dismissing Taipei’s concerns as political exaggeration. The incident has further strained cross-strait relations, with Taiwan pointing to repeated Chinese activities that it considers attempts to pressure the island.

Taiwan’s coast guard announced on Tuesday that it had detained a cargo ship linked to China after an undersea cable near the Penghu Islands was disconnected. This follows a similar case earlier this year, which prompted Taiwanese authorities to step up security measures to protect critical infrastructure.

China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, downplayed the incident, stating that such damages are common in maritime operations. Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, argued that Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was politicizing the issue without conclusive evidence. "While the basic facts and those responsible for the accident have not yet been clarified, the DPP authorities have deliberately exaggerated the situation in an attempt at political manipulation, which will not enjoy popular support," Zhu said.

Taipei has drawn parallels between the undersea cable incidents and similar disruptions in the Baltic Sea following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Taiwanese officials have accused Chinese vessels of operating under "flags of convenience" from other countries to disguise their activities.

Adding to tensions, Taiwan has raised concerns over frequent patrols by China's coast guard near the Kinmen Islands, which are controlled by Taiwan but located close to the Chinese mainland. Taiwan’s coast guard reported that these patrols, occurring about four times a month, were acts of "routine harassment" rather than legitimate law enforcement.

China, however, insists that the patrols are standard operations, initiated last year after the deaths of two Chinese nationals attempting to flee Taiwan’s coast guard near Kinmen.

As both sides continue to trade accusations, the dispute over maritime security and undersea infrastructure underscores the broader geopolitical struggle in the Taiwan Strait, with implications for regional stability.