Taiwan will enforce tighter inspections on vessels linked to Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau, according to the General Administration of Customs (GAC).
The decision follows multiple incidents of undersea cable damage, including the February detention of a Chinese-crewed ship over alleged sabotage.
The GAC stated that "substandard" ships and "specific" vessel types—including tankers, semi-submersibles, heavy transport, and crane vessels—must consult authorities before applying for direct navigation permits or business registration.
Applications for these vessels must be submitted 30 days in advance to avoid delays, the GAC noted. Foreign-flagged ships with owners or carriers registered in China, Hong Kong, or Macau will undergo a national security review, regardless of their flag.
Vessels owned outside these regions will follow standard Maritime and Port Administration procedures. Taiwan has also classified ships from five black-listed flag states—Cameroon, Tanzania, Mongolia, Togo, and Sierra Leone—as "substandard," subjecting them to additional scrutiny.
A system upgrade will require ship operators to submit ownership details for faster processing. This move coincides with increased military drills by China near Taiwan, raising tensions in the region. The measures aim to address recent incidents of undersea cable damage, which have been linked to vessels from the flagged regions.
General Administration of Customs (GAC) is Taiwan's customs authority responsible for regulating trade, enforcing border security, and overseeing maritime compliance.