China Demonstrates Deep-Sea Cable-Cutting Capability, Raising Security Concerns
Chinese state media Xinhua News Agency reported that the research vessel “Haiyang Dizhi No. 2” (Marine Geology No. 2) recently completed a deep-sea mission, including a test of a new electro-hydraulic device capable of cutting cables at a depth of 3,500 meters. Officials described this as the first publicly acknowledged capability to cut cables at such extreme depths—deeper than most existing undersea communication infrastructure.
The technology was developed by the China Ship Scientific Research Center, a state-backed institute under U.S. sanctions. Reports suggest the device could cut even heavily protected undersea communication and power cables, potentially disrupting global connectivity during geopolitical crises.
Analysts note that China has been developing such capabilities for over a decade, supported by multiple patents and new systems designed for deep-sea cable cutting and retrieval. Additional designs reportedly extend operational depths to 4,000 meters, including specialized cutting vessels.
These developments have raised concerns that such capabilities could be used as part of a new form of warfare aimed at disrupting global communications. Analysts also point to Beijing’s usage of “gray-zone” tactics. In November 2024, the Chinese vessel “Yipeng 3” reportedly dragged its anchor for more than 100 miles (over 160 kilometers) in the Baltic Sea, severing two key undersea cables linking Finland to Germany and Sweden to Lithuania—an incident that drew global attention.
Source: Epoch Times, April 22, 2026
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/26/4/21/n14746529.htm
China’s Ministry of State Security Warns of Espionage Threats to Rare Earths, Semiconductors, and Data
China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) has published an article via its official WeChat account warning of increasing foreign espionage targeting the country’s industrial and supply chains, describing such activities as growing more covert, professional, and systematic, posing serious threats to China’s economic, technological, and data security.
The MSS highlighted a case involving the rare earth sector, which Beijing considers a strategic resource critical to advanced manufacturing and national defense. According to the article, a foreign non-ferrous metals company bribed a deputy general manager, surnamed Cheng, at a domestic rare earth firm through a Chinese intermediary employee surnamed Ye. Lured by financial gain, Cheng illegally provided seven classified state secrets to foreign parties, including details on China’s rare earth stockpiling categories, quantities, and pricing. The individuals involved were severely punished under the law. The case comes as Beijing has increasingly used rare earth export controls as a strategic tool against the United States, the European Union, and Japan since 2025.
The article also cited the case of a former semiconductor engineer surnamed Zhang, who after leaving his company violated confidentiality obligations by illegally providing core production processes and trade secrets to a foreign organization. The MSS warned this could waste years of research and development investment and weaken China’s position in the global semiconductor supply chain.
On data security, the article described a case in which a company used technical means to covertly embed itself within an e-commerce platform’s systems, stealing over one million business data records daily and illegally profiting tens of millions of yuan (approximately USD 1.4–2.8 million or more, depending on the exact figure). The MSS called this “organized, industrialized data theft” rather than simple commercial infringement.
The article concluded by urging the entire society, especially industry professionals, to remain vigilant and strengthen their awareness of confidentiality and the rule of law.
Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), April 23, 2026
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202604230062.aspx
Ordinary Chinese Citizens Now Caught in Facial Recognition Dragnet
France’s Le Monde reported this week that ordinary Chinese citizens with no criminal or political history are receiving fines through automated facial recognition cameras, marking a notable expansion of the country’s vast surveillance apparatus into everyday life.
For years, many Chinese assumed large-scale monitoring was reserved for political dissidents, NGO workers, or activists. That assumption is now being challenged. Shanghai resident Li Yan (a pseudonym) describes himself as an entirely unremarkable citizen — no political involvement, no suspicious associations. Yet in late March, he received a police text message fining him 50 yuan (approximately $6.90 USD) for briefly riding his bicycle on a sidewalk. No officer stopped him. His bicycle had no license plate. The message cited “electronic technology” as the method of identification. After confirming with police that his face had been automatically matched through a public security camera, Li came to a quiet but unsettling realization: the anonymous space that once allowed people to get away with life’s small imperfections may be disappearing.
Le Monde notes that surveillance cameras now blanket China’s streets, though official numbers are never disclosed. Most citizens had grown accustomed to them, assuming the systems targeted others. But applying facial recognition to petty violations has drawn fresh attention. Notably, apps like WeChat and Alipay already enable near-total movement tracking, and online speech is routinely filtered. When a prominent law professor raised concerns about Beijing’s 2025 unified digital identity system, her social media account was suspended and her posts deleted.
Facial recognition in China already extends far beyond law enforcement — airports like Shanghai Hongqiao allow boarding without tickets, and gyms identify members from several meters away. Shanghai’s police began piloting facial recognition fines for unlicensed vehicles as early as 2017, but the system has since expanded dramatically. In the Xuhui district alone, 120 dedicated cameras now target cycling and scooter violations.
“This is just the beginning,” Li said. “If someone as insignificant as me can be automatically identified on any street, imagine where this is heading.”
Source: Radio France International, April 22, 2026
https://rfi.my/CdPy
China’s Economic Leverage in Africa Behind Taiwan’s Blocked Presidential Trip
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te was forced to postpone his planned visit to the Kingdom of Eswatini, Taiwan’s only remaining African ally, after Madagascar, Mauritius, and Seychelles revoked overflight permits for his aircraft. Taiwan’s Presidential Office confirmed the delay was the result of Chinese interference, calling Beijing’s repeated claims of goodwill toward Taiwan fundamentally dishonest.
The incident drew international attention, with U.S. Republican Congressman Pat Harrigan stating on social media that China used debt leverage to pressure the three nations into blocking Taiwan’s president from their airspace — achieving a form of economic warfare without firing a single shot, given that Beijing holds more than half the debt of African continent nations.
China’s economic footprint in Africa has grown substantially in recent years. In 2025, China-Africa bilateral trade reached approximately 2.49 trillion yuan (around US$343 billion), up 18.4 percent year-on-year. Chinese exports to Africa rose 26.5 percent to roughly 1.61 trillion yuan (US$222 billion), while imports from Africa grew 6 percent to about 880 billion yuan (US$121 billion).
Among the three countries that blocked Taiwan’s flight, China-Seychelles trade reached $112 million in 2025, with Chinese imports from Seychelles surging 817.3 percent to $1.896 million. China-Madagascar trade stood at $1.673 billion, while trade with Mauritius reached $703 million in the first eight months of 2025 alone.
The episode unfolded as Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted Mozambique’s president in Beijing and reiterated plans to implement zero tariffs for 53 African nations starting May 1 — pointedly excluding Eswatini, Taiwan’s sole African diplomatically. Earlier, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng had visited Seychelles in March, with the Seychellois president affirming his country’s unwavering commitment to the one-China policy.
Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), April 22, 2026
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202604220150.aspx
U.S. Indo-Pacific Commander Urges Taiwan to Pass Defense Spending Budget
At a congressional hearing on April 21, U.S. Indo-Pacific Commander Samuel Paparo warned that Taiwan must commit sufficient funding to its own defense. He stressed that U.S. support cannot exceed Taiwan’s own commitment and urged lawmakers to pass a long-delayed defense budget.
Paparo emphasized that Taiwan’s defense spending is essential despite U.S. assistance under the Taiwan Relations Act, arguing that without adequate investment, security cannot be sustained. He added that concrete budget action—rather than rhetoric—will demonstrate Taiwan’s commitment to self-defense.
The remarks come amid political gridlock in Taiwan, where a proposed $40 billion, eight-year defense budget by President Lai Ching-te has been stalled in a legislature dominated by the opposition Kuomintang. The party has recently drawn attention for closer engagement with Beijing, including Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s visit to mainland China in April and her meeting with Xi Jinping.
The stalled budget has attracted strong concern in Washington, with bipartisan U.S. lawmakers urging Taiwan to act quickly and signaling potential new arms sales of up to $14 billion.
Source: Epoch Times, Top of Form
April 22, 2026
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/26/4/22/n14746992.htm
People’s Daily: China’s Optical Fiber Industry Sees Surge in Prices and Demand Driven by AI Data Centers
China’s optical fiber industry is experiencing a rare boom, with both prices and demand rising sharply. Prices for specialized fiber have jumped as much as 650 percent, while production and sales in the first quarter grew by over 35 percent, with some companies reporting nearly fivefold increases.
The demand shift is largely driven by AI and data centers rather than traditional telecom uses like 5G or fiber-to-home. As large AI models expand, data center traffic is growing rapidly, requiring high-speed optical interconnects. Global demand for data center fiber is expected to exceed 100 million core-kilometers by 2026, with hyperscale AI facilities needing 5–10 times more fiber than conventional data centers.
At the same time, supply is constrained. The upstream production of optical fiber preforms—where most profits and technical barriers lie—requires long investment cycles, and earlier industry downturns reduced capacity. This has led to a global supply shortage.
Chinese manufacturers are emerging as key suppliers, benefiting from advanced production technologies, lower costs, and faster delivery. China now accounts for over 60 percent of the global fiber and cable market and about 70 percent of production capacity. Leading firms such as Yangtze Optical Fibre and Cable Joint Stock Limited Company dominate high-end segments, positioning China at the center of the global supply chain.
Source: People’s Daily, April 21, 2026
http://finance.people.com.cn/n1/2026/0421/c1004-40705509.html
People’s Daily: U.S. Air Force Restructuring in Japan Faces Ongoing Challenges
In late March, the U.S. Air Force began upgrading equipment at the 35th Fighter Wing at Misawa Air Base in Japan while restructuring the Fifth Air Force’s command system. The move is part of broader efforts to strengthen forward deployment under the Indo-Pacific strategy and position the Fifth Air Force as a key operational command hub in the region.
However, the changes also highlight underlying challenges. The Fifth Air Force’s responsibilities have expanded to include combat command, cross-domain coordination, and rapid response, but without a corresponding increase in personnel or resources. This raises concerns about potential operational strain and insufficient support capacity. Coordination difficulties may also emerge, as other U.S. commands in the region have not undergone comparable reforms.
The restructuring further underscores tensions in U.S.–Japan defense cooperation. While the United States is pushing for greater burden-sharing from Japan, it continues to retain control over command authority—potentially conflicting with Japan’s pursuit of greater strategic autonomy. This misalignment could limit deeper operational integration beyond routine exercises and intelligence sharing.
Additionally, the shift of bases such as Yokota from logistical support roles to frontline command functions has raised concerns among the Japanese public about being drawn into potential conflicts. Analysts suggest the move could contribute to heightened geopolitical tensions in the region.
Source: People’s Daily, April 8, 2026
http://military.people.com.cn/n1/2026/0408/c1011-40697135.html
U.S. Blocks Chinese Firm’s Acquisition of Dutch LED Company Over Security Concerns
China’s LED chipmaker San’an Optoelectronics has abandoned its $239 million plan to acquire Dutch firm Lumileds after the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) determined the deal posed “unresolvable national security risks.” Following multiple rounds of review, both parties withdrew the application on April 17, 2026.
The deal, announced in 2025 with Malaysian partner Inari Amertron, aimed to acquire Lumileds’ global operations, including production facilities in Singapore and Malaysia, to support San’an’s overseas expansion and strengthen its ability to serve international customers. Lumileds specializes in high-end LED products used in automotive lighting, camera flashes, and specialty applications.
The failed acquisition marks another setback for Chinese tech firms’ overseas investments amid increasing regulatory scrutiny, following the dispute involving Nexperia. It is also the second time CFIUS has blocked a Chinese-related bid for Lumileds, after rejecting a similar acquisition in 2016 over concerns about control of dual-use semiconductor technologies.
Source: Epoch Times, April 18, 2026
https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/26/4/17/n14743885.htm