China's Deep-Sea Cable Cutter: A New Tool Threatening Global Undersea Information Infrastructure

Cables have been severed in both the Indo-Pacific near Taiwan and the Baltic Sea around Norway. Notably, Chinese and Russian vessels were observed near the sites of these incidents.

INDO-PACIFIC/EUROPE—The Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has raised concerns over a new Chinese-developed tool: a deep-sea cable cutter designed to sever fortified underwater communication and power lines.

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The concern follows recent incidents where cables in the region have been cut, highlighting vulnerabilities in the global network that carries the vast majority of international data.

Cables have been severed in both the Indo-Pacific near Taiwan and the Baltic Sea around Norway. Notably, Chinese and Russian vessels were observed near the sites of these incidents. China has stated that at least one of these events was accidental.

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "China has unveiled a tool with global consequences: a cable cutter capable of severing the sturdiest undersea cables. Taiwan, constantly under threat, knows what this means. 95% of data flows undersea & the world must act to defend this vital infrastructure."

What the Cutter Is, and What It Does