China unveils a powerful deep-sea cable cutter that could reset the world order — Beijing now has the power to disrupt global communications

9 comments

1. First reported by Stephen Chen:

   *A compact, deep-sea, cable-cutting device, capable of severing the world’s most fortified underwater communication or power lines, has been unveiled by China – and it could shake up global maritime power dynamics.*

   *The revelation marks the first time any country has officially disclosed that it has such an asset, capable of disrupting critical undersea networks.*

   *The tool, which is able to cut lines at depths of up to 4,000 metres (13,123 feet) – twice the maximum operational range of existing subsea communication infrastructure – has been designed specifically for integration with China’s advanced crewed and uncrewed submersibles like the Fendouzhe, or Striver, and the Haidou series.*

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   [Bloomberg](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-03-22/china-discloses-powerful-deep-sea-cable-cutter-scmp-reports):

   *Subsea cables have emerged as a key vulnerability facing governments around the world in the event of heightened tensions or outright conflict.*

   *Developed by the China Ship Scientific Research Center and State Key Laboratory of Deep-Sea Manned Vehicles, the cutter revealed by China targets so-called “armored cables,” lines with steel, rubber and polymer sheaths that make up the overwhelming majority of global data transmissions, the SCMP added.*

2. Not surprising.  But, as humans we should be connecting more, not disconnecting. One team, yo. 

3. Attacking civilian infrastructure. Such global leaders. Half the countries in the world could probably cut a line. Try defending one if you want to be a leader. 

4. Beta testing on Taiwan next?

5. As Russia has demonstrated, you don’t need a special tool for this.

6. To clarify, I hate Musk, but isn’t this sort of thing likely to put more power in the hands of people with strong satellite internet infrastructure? Ie, Starlink.

7. Ironically Satellite based internet is looking promising.

8. Why did they announce it, and not just keep it to secretly use as needed? Seems like a lost opportunity for them.

9. Was this considered something challenging? It strikes me as quite mundane.

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