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