Likely this is just for "practice". This incident shows how easy it is to break the cables, and what methods the authorities in the area use to pin the blame. It also shows what effect breaking the cables did or didn't have. I doubt China cares about losing one ship. Next time the ship they send won't slow down while near the cable, which caught the eye of the authorities. Next time they will do a lot of things differently, but I have no doubt the next time is coming, just because they can.
