The big picture: A new Congressional report has intensified concerns about the security of the world's undersea data cables, spotlighting China's accelerated efforts to develop specialized tools and strategies that could threaten the global flow of digital information. With nearly all international internet traffic relying on these cables, the findings have fueled debate within the US government about the vulnerability of core internet infrastructure amid the growing US-China rivalry.
Recent analysis by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission reveals that Chinese research institutions, many of them closely connected to the People's Liberation Army, have patented a variety of mechanisms for cutting submarine cables.
A high-profile disclosure came from the China Ship Scientific Research Center, which unveiled a new electrically powered cutting device. According to the report, this system is engineered to operate at depths exceeding 13,000 feet and can sever even armored cables. Unlike older methods, which required prolonged retrieval and surface operations, the new approach reduces costs and shortens the time needed to compromise a cable.
Chinese patent filings reviewed by independent experts describe anchor-like devices, towed by ships or remotely guided submersibles, that use sharpened grapnels or electrically powered blades. These are marketed domestically as maintenance or emergency repair tools but possess clear dual-use potential for covert sabotage or military actions during a crisis.
The commission's year-in-review chapter notes that multiple Chinese research teams have published solutions for cheap, rapid cable disruption – a capability considered strategically significant for denying communications during future conflicts.
Beyond R&D, the report highlights specific incidents over the past year in which vessels owned or operated by Chinese entities caused physical damage to undersea cables near strategic hotspots. Notably, in late 2024, two cables connecting Sweden and Lithuania, and Germany and Finland, were severed after a Chinese vessel dragged its anchor over a span exceeding 100 miles.
Observers noted irregular navigation patterns and unidentified crew, raising suspicions of deliberate sabotage. European inquiries have since linked these events to a broader pattern of gray-zone activity – hostile actions that fall short of open warfare but undermine security and generate strategic leverage.
The commission also asserts that Chinese military planners have prepared scenarios for cable-cutting operations around Taiwan. US analysts identified records in a Chinese database cataloging cable landing stations along the Taiwanese coast, which could serve as primary targets for communications disruption in a cross-strait conflict.
In response, US authorities are preparing defensive and regulatory measures. The FCC, for example, has proposed new rules that would prohibit the use of certain Chinese hardware and software in any cables connecting directly to the United States. The FCC's plan incorporates enhanced security thresholds, restricted participation by adversarial entities, and streamlines review procedures for new cable projects, with public consultation underway on additional security layers.
Image credit: CNN