China is causing international concern by developing a device capable of cutting submarine cables at great depths.

Last update: 25/03/2025

  • China has developed an underwater device that can cut communication and power cables at depths of up to 4.000 meters.
  • The device, developed by Chinese engineers, uses a diamond-coated grinding wheel that rotates at high speed to cut reinforced cables.
  • Although it is presented as a tool for civilian use, its military potential has generated international concern.
  • Ninety-five percent of the world's data traffic relies on submarine cables, making this technology a risk to global security.
China cuts Internet-4 submarine cable

China has submitted a innovative device capable of cutting submarine cables communication and electrical equipment, even those built with reinforced materials. This technology, developed by Chinese engineers, could significantly alter the balance of power in global telecommunications and energy infrastructuresThe question of how submarine communication cables are managed is fundamental in the context of the Internet infrastructure.

The artifact, designed by the China Ship Scientific Research Center (CSSRC), has the ability to operate at depths of up to 4.000 metersTo date, no other country has publicly disclosed the development of similar equipment. Although Beijing insists its use is intended for civilian missions, such as underwater mining and artifact recovery, international analysts They warn that its possible use for military purposes is causing concern in the global community..

Exclusive content - Click Here  How to reactivate a suspended Google account

Device features and operation

China's submarine cable cutting tool

The device integrates a 150 mm diamond coated disc able to turn 1.600 revolutions per minute, allowing it to effortlessly cut cables designed with multiple layers of steel, rubber, and polymers. This could have significant implications for connectivity, as the how the Internet works depends on these cables.

This underwater cutter employs a powerful one kilowatt motor, along with a 8:1 gear reducer, ensuring energy efficiency and greater durability in hostile environments. Thanks to its titanium alloy housing and an oil sealing system, the tool Withstands extreme water pressure at depths exceeding 400 atmospheres.

Furthermore, Its design allows it to be integrated with automated submersibles, such as the Fendouzhe and Haidou series, used by the Chinese fleet for ocean exploration and seabed operations.

Geopolitical implications of development

Submarine Internet Cable

At present, most of the world's data traffic travels through fiber optic cables laid on the ocean floor. A coordinated attack on these infrastructures could disrupt global connectivity, with economic and strategic consequences powerful.

Exclusive content - Click Here  How to make your Google Slides presentation look pretty

Experts recall that previous incidents have demonstrated the vulnerability of these networksA massive sabotage attack in Egypt in 2008 knocked out power to multiple countries in Africa and the Middle East, demonstrating the impact that a disruption to these systems can have. This fact raises the question of how new technologies, like the one developed by China, can influence global security and telecommunications stability.

The possibility of China using this technology to disrupt enemy communications increases tensions in the Indo-Pacific region, especially around Taiwan and Guam, where multiple submarine cables support both civilian and military infrastructure of the United States and its allies.

China insists the device has exclusively civil applications, but in a context where technological warfare and cybersecurity are growing concerns, the The development of this tool increases security concerns of the global telecommunications infrastructure.