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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Technology

Taiwanese Travelers' eSIM Data May Be Monitored by China, Study Warns

From Liberty Times · (8h ago) Chinese Critical tone

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Taiwanese travelers using international eSIMs risk having their data routed through China, according to a study.
  • This routing can prevent access to AI services like ChatGPT and Gemini, which block Chinese IP addresses.
  • The issue stems from eSIM providers' network configurations and Taiwan's regulatory environment for local providers.

A recent study highlights a significant concern for Taiwanese travelers: the risk of their international eSIM data being monitored by China. While eSIMs offer convenience for staying connected abroad, research indicates that many popular providers route data through China Mobile International Limited's network, even when users are in different countries.

The IP address obtained is '223.118.51.96', which belongs to China Mobile International Limited and is located in Hong Kong. 'You are in Paris, but your data packets first detour through Hong Kong, and are then released by China Mobile's international subsidiary.'

— Chiu Chi-hungDescribing the routing of data through a Chinese-affiliated network when using a specific eSIM provider, as discovered by researchers.

This routing has practical implications, particularly for accessing AI services. Platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude actively block IP addresses associated with China and Hong Kong. Consequently, Taiwanese travelers using these affected eSIMs find themselves unable to use these crucial productivity tools, mistaking the issue for network problems or service outages.

This means you are in Japan, Thailand, or Europe, but because the cheap eSIM you bought routes through Hong Kong, your IP address is seen by OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google as a 'Hong Kong user'.

— Chiu Chi-hungExplaining the consequence of eSIM data routing for accessing AI services.

The core of the problem lies in how these international eSIMs are configured and regulated. The article points out that while Taiwanese telecom companies have the technical capability to offer competitive travel eSIMs, regulatory hurdles imposed by the National Communications Commission (NCC) make it difficult. The NCC's strict rules, designed for physical SIM cards, deter local providers from launching user-friendly, standalone travel eSIM products. This leaves Taiwanese consumers with limited choices: either inconvenient local options or international eSIMs that inadvertently route traffic through China, compromising both privacy and access to essential digital services.

The problem is that the NCC has confined eSIMs within the regulatory logic of physical SIM cards. Taiwan's current eSIM rules: must be processed in person, require a 300 NTD setup fee, cannot be transferred online, and must be re-applied for when changing phones.

— Chiu Chi-hungCritiquing the regulatory framework in Taiwan that hinders the development of local travel eSIM services.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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