Chinese engineers have developed specialized devices designed to sever undersea communications cables, according to patent documents reviewed by Newsweek, raising concerns about China's potential role in recent cable disruptions worldwide.
Two separate patent applications from Chinese institutions detail anchor-like devices specifically engineered to cut submarine cables quickly and at low cost. The first application came from the State Oceanic Administration's South China Sea branch in 2009, while the second was filed in 2020 by researchers at Lishui University in Zhejiang province.
The 2020 patent application from Lishui University describes a "dragging type submarine cable cutting device." The inventors noted that traditional methods of cable cutting require expensive equipment and complex processes. Their device aimed to provide a faster, cheaper alternative.
When reached for comment, Lishui University's Scientific Research Division declined to discuss the patent.
The patents emerge amid a series of suspicious incidents involving damaged undersea cables in multiple regions, including the Baltic Sea, waters off Norway, and around Taiwan. Chinese vessels have been spotted near several incident sites, though Beijing maintains that at least one case was accidental.
Maritime experts note that while the existence of these patents doesn't definitively link China to recent cable cuts, it demonstrates a clear interest in developing capabilities to sever underwater infrastructure.
The Chinese embassy in Washington responded to inquiries by stating that China supports the development of submarine cables and works to protect such infrastructure. Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu emphasized China's commitment to "building a community with a shared future in cyberspace."
Recent incidents have involved Chinese ships including the Xing Shun 39, Newnew Polar Bear, and Yi Peng 3. In January, Taiwan's Coast Guard reported a severed telecommunications cable off its northern coast, with the Xing Shun 39 identified as a suspect.
According to Benjamin L. Schmitt, Senior Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania's Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, these developments suggest China is "actively developing technical options for completing these sort of subsea warfare operations."
Gregory Falco from Cornell University's Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering notes that while such technology has legitimate commercial applications, its potential for military use raises serious concerns about global communications security.