NEC announced the Asia Direct Cable (ADC) consortium's plan to build a high-performance submarine cable connecting Hong Kong, China's Guangdong province, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The Japanese company has been selected by the consortium to build the 9.400-kilometre-long ADC cable, which is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2022. NEC Corporation's submarine network administrator Atsushi Kuwahara explained how the new submarine cable will provide seamless connectivity in a press release, saying: "As an ADC cable provider, NEC continues to support critical infrastructure in Asia. This advanced fiber optic submarine cable system will provide seamless connectivity to the countries it lands in." and the regions it serves. NEC is impressed by the level of commitment from the ADC Consortium members, and will make the most of our regional expertise to support ADC and ensure the success of this project."