Last week, China made a show of its prowess in undersea weapons, information warfare, or both. On March 24, an headline in the South China Morning Post trumpeted that “China unveils a powerful deep-sea cable-cutter that could reset the world order.” The article purported to reveal new technology that could cut the thickest, most armored undersea cables at up to 4,000 meters—twice the operational depth of most existing undersea communications infrastructure. Although the article reported that the technology was developed for scientific research purposes, it noted the advance could “shake up global maritime power dynamics,” specifically alluding to the ability to cut trans-Pacific cables in Guam as part of conflict with the United States. Global news sources quicklypicked up the story. However, questions remain as to whether the cable cutter is a technological threat or mostly hype. A closer look at the announcement and its context raises questions as to China’s true capabilities and intentions.

First, the timing of the announcement is suspicious. The cable cutting technology was first announced in the Chinese journal Mechanical Engineering on February 24—a month before the SCMP reported on it. In the interim, on February 25, Taiwan detained an unregistered Togo-flagged ship after catching it in the act of severing a cable off of Taiwan’s coast. The incident marked the fifth cable-cutting incident reported by Taiwan in 2025, compared to three each in 2024 and 2023. The vessel, the Hong Tai 58, had a Chinese crew and was Hong Kong-owned. The ship failed to respond to seven calls by Taiwan’s Coast Guard as it loitered for several days near the severed cable. When the Taiwan’s Coast Guard boarded, they found evidence of cable sabotage. Beijing denied familiarity with the February 25 incident and said it was not “related to China’s diplomacy.”

Diplomatic reasons might explain why the SCMP did not tout China’s new cable-cutting technology for another month. But the mismatch between China’s technology and the realities of cable cutting remains a mystery. According to the International Cable Protection Committee, whose members represent over 98% of global submarine telecommunications cable infrastructure, cables at 4,000-meter depths are not typically armored or fortified in a way that would require such advanced cable-cutting technology. Armoring or fortifying such deep-sea cables could be counterproductive and cause them to break. China’s technology has not been independently verified. Maritime analyst Colin Koh notes that even if China’s technology exists, it may not yet be operational.

And then there is the messaging coming from China itself. China has strongly denied any involvement in cutting undersea cables around Taiwan or in the Baltics. China has also denied that the cable cutting technology is for military purposes. In response to Western alarm over the SCMP article, Chinese embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu told Newsweek: "We oppose unfounded attacks and smears against China. This tool, developed by China independently, is used in marine scientific research. The U.S. and some European countries also have similar technology. China attaches great importance to protecting undersea infrastructure and has been and will continue to work with the international community to protect undersea cables." Officially, then, China does not want itself portrayed as a vicious cable-cutter.

So is China’s technology worth the hype? And if not, what might Beijing’s aim be in creating this breaking news?

The Lowy Institute, an Australian think tank, suggests and economic motive. Lowy notes that perception of a Chinese threat by competitor nations might result in stringent new regulations mandating such armoring, which would drive up manufacturing and operational costs, indirectly benefitting China. Deterrence might also be a powerful motive.

Sowing confusion about its capabilities might also be effective information warfare on China’s part. Regardless of the veracity of the cable-cutter reports, Chinese technological advances that can be used for military purposes pose inherent risks. China’s civil-military fusion strategy enables it to leverage civilian technological benefits for military aims quickly, and at the state’s behest. Democracies and free market economies cannot typically move as quickly and seamlessly. Many of China’s technologies built for civilian purposes are being built with dual-use capabilities, with an eye toward using them in an invasion of Taiwan. Roll-on roll-off ferries typically used for transporting cars, for example, are being built to military specifications and are viewed for potential use in a Taiwan invasion, undermining the principle of distinction at the core of the law of war. China’s dual-use shipyards and newly-developed landing barges have also gained international attention in recent weeks. Compounding China’s military-civil fusion is its known disregard for international law and the international norms that safeguard international commerce and freedom of the seas. China’s cable cutter itself may or may not be cause for alarm. The United States must cut through the hype before overreacting.