The hidden hand

The fiber optic giant building undersea networks

Hengtong Group, China's largest cable maker, controls one of three major submarine cable integrators after acquiring a majority stake in Huawei Marine Networks.

The number

49% stake in Huawei Marine Networks

Hengtong manufactures the fiber preforms for terrestrial 5G infrastructure while simultaneously operating one of the world's three submarine cable system integrators—creating a vertically integrated chokepoint from fiber production to undersea internet cables. Western intelligence agencies have flagged the combination as a potential surveillance vulnerability.

Source: Hengtong — Wikipedia · Wikipedia · Jan 1, 2024

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