China tests deep-sea electro-hydrostatic actuator that can cut undersea cables at a depth of 3,500 meters — state hails successful trial and hints at deployment readiness
China has reportedly conducted a successful test of a ‘deep-sea electro-hydrostatic actuator’ that can be used to cut through undersea cables up to a depth of 3,500 meters. SCMP reports the device was launched from a research vessel last weekend, and that the state hailed a successful test and the bridging of the gap between development and application, hinting at its readiness for deployment.
According to the report, the ‘Haiyang Dizhi 2’ completed the first deep-sea mission of the year on April 11. The electro-hydrostatic actuator (EHA), uses hydraulics, an electric motor, and a control unit combined into a single device, jettisoning the requirement for lengthy and cumbersome external oil piping. The device was reportedly further strengthened against deep-sea pressure and corrosion, enabling “precise mechanical tasks” at very low depths. A September report cited by the article notes that this technology has previously been touted “for cutting subsea cables and operating deep-sea grabs.”
The project isn’t purely destructive in nature, with obvious applications in the repair and building of underwater oil and gas pipelines. However, given the global context and the timing, the implications for military and nefarious use are obvious. Several projects from China’s undersea initiative have reportedly drastically improved the effectiveness of such tasks. A 2022 offshore pipeline repair took crews five hours “just to make a single cut” on an 18-inch section of damaged pipe. Just one year later, homegrown vessels operated remotely could cut pipes up to 38 inches in diameter at a depth of 2,000 feet, including one repair where an eight-inch pipe was cut through in just 20 minutes. The latest testing extends these capabilities to at least 3,500 meters, almost 11,500 feet.
Article continues below
The news comes at a time when undersea infrastructure is coming into sharp focus as a new flashpoint in geopolitical machinations. These cables carry data along the sea floor, connecting global economies and nations via an extensive array of fiber-optic cables. Indeed, in recent years, undersea cables have been the center of disputes, with Russia one of the primary antagonists thought to be monitoring networks and loitering over transatlantic data cables. Earlier this month, it was revealed that the UK navy had tracked three Russian submarines near vital undersea infrastructure. Multiple undersea cables were cut in the Red Sea last year, and a Russian shadow fleet tanker was reported to have dragged its anchor 56 miles along the sea floor in a bid to sever cables in the Baltic Sea.
Iran secretly acquired a Chinese spy satellite, giving the Islamic Republic a new capability to target US military bases across the Middle East during the recent war, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday. The TEE-01B satellite, built and launched by the Chinese company Earth Eye Co, was acquired by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Aerospace
Let’s play chess, global oil supply edition. January 2026 – the US moved its knight to Venezuela, captures its rook. Fighter jets – F-22 and F-35 – and elite troops, including the storied Delta Force, infiltrated and kidnapped now ex-president Nicolas Maduro and his wife. Venezuela has the world’s largest proven oil reserves – around
China has issued temporary export permits to rare-earth suppliers serving the three largest US automobile manufacturers. (AI image) China is emerging as an indirect beneficiary of America’s massive artificial intelligence spending surge, even as Washington steps up efforts to curb Chinese technology access, according to a report cited by the South China Morning Post. The
WASHINGTON — President Trump said China has agreed not to send weapons to Iran amid reports it plans to give Tehran new air defense systems — and predicted Chinese leader Xi Jinping “will give me a big, fat hug” when they meet next month. Trump further claimed Wednesday that Xi is “very happy” about his
US President Donald Trump (File Photo: PTI) 1 min read Last Updated : Apr 15 2026 | 5:51 PM IST
President Donald Trump on Wednesday claimed that China has agreed not to provide weapons to Iran as reports circulate that Beijing has considered transferring arms.
Trump wrote in a social media post that
Zhang, one of the world’s most influential scientists in cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), resigned from his tenure-track position at Yale on Jan. 12 and joined the School of Life Sciences and Medicine at USTC in Hefei, Anhui province. The move surprised many in the academic community, as Zhang chose to leave in the middle of a
Twenty minutes after the US naval blockade of Iranian ports took effect on Monday evening (Israel time), a Chinese-owned tanker called the MV Rich Starry pulled out of anchorage near Sharjah and headed for the Strait of Hormuz. It was flying a Malawian flag, which is an interesting choice for a landlocked country. Its AIS
China on Wednesday dismissed media reports claiming that the country is providing military assistance to Iran. The response came amid rising tensions linked to the ongoing conflict in West Asia. China warns US over 50 % tariff hike threat. (REUTERS file) Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said, “Media reports accusing China of providing military
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with top Chinese leadership to discuss the Iran war and other concerns. Published On 15 Apr 202615 Apr 2026 Chinese President Xi Jinping has met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and pressed for “closer and stronger strategic coordination” between Beijing and Moscow, according to state media. Xi met
Last month, during a shopping trip, a spokeswoman for Exteriors of China said “the store should not be used as a hardware item or as a weapon”. These statements were made in connection with a possible commercial boycott of s Donald Trump brought to Spain for its position that does not allow the United States
Home » Latest Travel News » Flights Cancelled Across Asia As Singapore, Japan, South Korea, China, India, And Indonesia Delay 3,159 And Cancel 268 Flights, Disrupting Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, Air China, Korean Air, And Others In Seoul, Tokyo, Delhi, And More
Published on
April 15, 2026
Image generated with Ai Thousands of travellers
The U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is adding strain to Washington’s relations with China and India, as Beijing hardens its rhetoric and New Delhi faces rising energy risks. Getty The U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is not only squeezing Iran but also ratcheting up pressure on two of its most consequential
Rising demand for high-performance, energy-efficient chips, driven by AI and large language models, is pushing existing semiconductor technology close to its limits. As transistors, the tiny switches that power chips, shrink to near-atomic sizes, engineers face increasing challenges such as heat buildup, manufacturing constraints, and quantum effects that can disrupt performance. To address these limits,
At Auto China 2026, HERE showcases AI-powered mapping technology powering Chinese automakers worldwide HERE to showcase its industry-leading location technology, partnerships and role in helping to bring China’s auto innovations to the rest of the world at Auto China 2026 Get the latest news delivered to your inbox Sign up for The Manila Times newsletters
China’s Yangtze Memory Technologies plans to build two fabs beyond the Phase 3 plant it’s due to complete in Wuhan this year, a move that would more than double its current wafer output, Reuters reported today, citing three sources familiar with the plans. Each of the three new plants will produce 100,000 wafers per month
But Xi himself had not made substantial comments until Tuesday, when he said the international rule of law “must be safeguarded.” “It must not be selectively applied or disregarded, nor should the world be allowed to regress to the law of the jungle,” he said during a meeting in Beijing with Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed
The failure of Islamabad peace talks and the new counter-blockades that the US has imposed in the Strait of Hormuz have widened the horizon of the West Asia war. While Iran was selectively allowing friendly vessels to pass, the US has put an umbrella blockade to all vessels. This is poised to hurt the China-Iran
Home » Latest Travel News » Thousands Of Passengers Abandoned Around China As Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Xi’an, And More Cancel 218 And Delay 2,214 Flights, Disrupting Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, China Express, And Others Today
Published on
April 15, 2026
Image generated with Ai Thousands of travellers were stranded
AI report shows China closing gap with US Stanford HAI executive director Russell Wald discusses the 2026 AI Index Report and China’s push to narrow the AI model performance gap with the U.S. on ‘Fox & Friends.’ NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! President Donald Trump is set to meet with U.S. Ambassador
French automaker Renault SA will cut its global engineering staff by between 15% and 20% over the next two years, a spokeswoman said on Tuesday, in a bid to become more agile in the face of competition from low-cost Chinese rivals. The job cuts would amount to up to 2,400 staff, based on a current
