China has become a key player in global communication submarine cable construction, protection

Chinese companies have emerged as key players in global submarine cable equipment manufacturing, construction, and maintenance after years of development with more cost-effective and capable solutions, an official industry research academy report said on Tuesday.

The China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) published the "2025 Report on China's Participation in the Construction and Protection of International Communication Submarine Cables."

The involvement of Chinese enterprises has effectively reduced the cost of network access, ensured smooth global connectivity, and accelerated the growth of the digital economy, said the report.

The international communication submarine cable is the undersea fiber-optic cable for transnational communication and data transmission.

To better meet the rising demand for international bandwidth brought by rapid digital development, Chinese companies have taken the lead and launched 32 core pairs of submarine cable solutions and related products, significantly increasing the transmission capacity.

"China’s submarine cables can work 25 years in water depths of eight kilometers. They are also the first power supply unit that can provide 18 kilovolts, with more core pairs and longer transmission distance," said Mou Chunbo, chief engineer of CAICT's industrial planning institute.

While putting more effort into research and development, China has achieved significant breakthroughs in submarine cable technology and actively participated in setting international standards in the submarine cable sector.

As of the end of 2024, Chinese enterprises have invested in 17 in-service international submarine cable systems and are participating in several ongoing submarine cable projects, according to the report.

Among these, HMN Tech of China has emerged as one of the four major global contractors capable of delivering intercontinental submarine cable systems. The report said that the company has cumulatively delivered over 100,000 kilometers of submarine cable systems worldwide, with its operations spanning more than 70 countries and regions.

"Previously, the submarine cable system was relatively closed. But now, devices from different manufacturers are in compatibility," Mou said

China has become a key player in global communication submarine cable construction, protection

China has become a key player in global communication submarine cable construction, protection

The China-Laos Railway saw a surge in cross-border passenger traffic during the recently concluded Spring Festival holiday, China Railway Kunming Group Co. said on Wednesday.

During the nine-day holiday, which lasted from Feb. 15 to Feb. 23, the China-Laos Railway handled 12,900 cross-border trips, which was a 41.8 percent year-on-year increase. The figure included over 6,300 inbound passengers, up 52.7 percent, and over 6,500 outbound passengers, a rise of 32.5 percent.

Stretching 1,035 kilometers from Kunming in southwest China's Yunnan Province to the Lao capital of Vientiane, the China-Laos Railway commenced operations on Dec. 3, 2021. To meet growing demand for cross-border travel, international passenger train services between Kunming and Vientiane were introduced on April 13, 2023.

Connecting more than 560 tourist destinations, the China-Laos Railway serves as a premier cross-border travel route, having facilitated cross-border trips for more than 700,000 tourists from 124 countries and regions.

China-Laos Railway reports surge in cross-border passenger traffic during Spring Festival holiday