An operator works during the mooring of an undersea fiber optic cable near Sopelana, Spain, on June 13, 2017. Ander Gillenea/AFP via Getty ImagesAs the timeline for a hypothetical 2027 Chinese offensive against Taiwan approaches, analysts warn that Beijing will likely escalate the targeted severing of Taiwan’s undersea cables to erode public morale and incite panic.Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) on Dec. 24 criticized the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for engaging in “political manipulation” after Chinese authorities claimed Taiwanese nationals masterminded an operation involving a Chinese-crewed vessel that severed undersea cables, Taiwan’s Central News Agency reported.We had a problem loading this article. Please enable javascript or use a different browser. If the issue persists, please visit our help center.