Beijing now has the power to disrupt global communications after scientists revealed a device that can sever undersea cables.

The tool, which is able to cut lines at depths of up to 4,000 metres (13,123 feet) – twice the maximum operational range of existing subsea communication infrastructure – has been designed specifically for integration with China’s advanced crewed and uncrewed submersibles like the Fendouzhe, or Striver, and the Haidou series.

    • Pilferjinx@lemmy.worldEnglish
      85·
      1 year ago

      It’s give and take. China is smart enough to invest in its country and its people. They’re making great scientific and technical advances that’s on a course that will surpass the west in many areas. The individual rights and freedoms are terrible though to the point where unsanctioned creativity is punished.

      • DicksAndPizza@lemm.eeEnglish
        67·
        1 year ago

        The whole country is dystopian. But agree there are smart people. They are just used for doing/inventing awful stuff.

        They are playing the long game and are currently the only ones benefiting from all that happens. They sit by idly watching our idiot leaders antagonise each other.

      • kautau@lemmy.worldEnglish
        35·
        1 year ago

        Lmao people will say this same shit about the us in 8 years when all the rights have been stripped and it’s run by tech bros

        • AFaithfulNihilist@lemmy.worldEnglish
          49·
          1 year ago

          Yes. In many ways, China is exactly what Republicans wet dream about. A single party runs unopposed controlling all elements of government. Criticizing them is illegal. All businesses are protected by the government from uppity customers. Employees are expected to work 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. 6 days a week for few benefits with almost no workers rights…

          It’s the Republican dream.

            • tane@lemm.eeBannedEnglish
              6·
              1 year ago

              This entire website is heavily propagandized about China I’ve noticed. It really sucks that you just can’t seem to have a normal conversation about China anywhere in the internet without propagandized freaks shouting at you that it the worst country that has ever existed

        • optissima (she/her)@lemmy.mlEnglish
          32·
          1 year ago

          We literally have starlink and the US run by fascists with nukes. I don’t mind seeing other countries that they threaten ready to combat their information systems.

          • DicksAndPizza@lemm.eeEnglish
            33·
            1 year ago

            Yeah, but that’s only as long as they target the US with their bullshit. Dictatorships don’t exactly have a history of stopping after „defeating“ their enemy. They’ll find new ones (spoiler it’s gonna be Europe).

            • Boxscape@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
              10·
              1 year ago

              Dictatorships don’t exactly have a history of stopping after „defeating“ their enemy. They’ll find new ones

              Fr dawg.

              Also, I don’t really want to have to learn Mandarin, nom sayin’?

              I’m firmly in middle age and don’t have the mental capacity to memorize 30,000 Chinese characters or whatever the count is.

              • DicksAndPizza@lemm.eeEnglish
                5·
                1 year ago

                You don’t have the mental capacity to learn mandarin? lol that’s pretty nicely worded. I simply don’t have the fucks and would rather die than learn that language. I had enough trouble with French. And they use „normal“ letters.

              • DicksAndPizza@lemm.eeEnglish
                2·
                1 year ago

                Idk. That at least has some mild benefits for the countries. In the form of investions and infrastructure.

                Cutting cables is just an act of war if you ask me.

      • Monument@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
        5·
        1 year ago

        That seems less concerning to me after reading the article.

        Russia and the US are also known to conduct proximity operations to their own and other satellites, she added.
        […]
        Referring to China’s operations as “dogfighting” in space is “not helpful” because it “automatically ascribes hostile intentions to activities that frankly the US also undertakes,” Samson added.

        It’s concerning that they are developing the capability (which can be used in multiple ways) in the same way that any geopolitical rival developing capacity that competes is concerning, but “dogfighting” evokes the idea that China is planning to fly around and blow stuff up, in an irresponsible, Kessler syndrome-inducing way.