Taiwan starts indigenous submarine development amid tension with China

Taipei/Beijing: Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen underlined the importance of the indigenous development of submarines saying, ‘Taiwan has immense will power for defending its sovereignty. Building indigenous submarines is an important part of this. This factor becomes vital for increasing the war capabilities of the Taiwanese Navy. Submarines will be successful in stopping the enemy warships trying to surround Taiwan.’ Taiwan is building eight submarines, and it is being said that the United States and South Korea are assisting Taiwan in the project.

On Tuesday, the Taiwanese President informed that the indigenous building of submarines has been started, during a function organised in the Kaohsiung port in south Taiwan. At this time, US Ambassador to Taiwan, Brent Christensen, was also present in the function. Two years ago, the United States allowed US companies to participate in the Taiwanese submarine program. Therefore, the presence of Ambassador Brent Christensen in the function becomes significant.

US President Donald Trump has taken a more active stand regarding cooperation with Taiwan. The diplomatic office started by the United States in Taiwan, the meeting of the US National Security Advisor with the Taiwanese leaders, Taiwan visits of US leaders and increasing defence cooperation are considered to be a part of President Trump’s stand. President Trump took the historic decision to supply fighter jets to Taiwan after a gap of nearly three decades. Following that, Taiwan is being supplied advanced missiles, torpedo and advanced defence systems.

While supplying weapon systems to Taiwan, the United States also has presented a position that the country should make more provisions and efforts to increase its defence capabilities. Accordingly, Taiwan has focused on developing indigenous defence systems. Taiwan has attained success in developing indigenous fighter jets and missiles, and they have been deployed at various military bases in Taiwan. An indigenously developed submarine is the next stage of the process. The CSBC Corporation of Taiwan will be building the torpedoes, and it is being said that the first submarine will join the Taiwan Navy by 2025. Meanwhile, China is said to have been very disturbed with the visit of the senior US navy official to Taiwan on Sunday.

Rear Admiral Michael Studeman, chief of military intelligence in the US Indo-Pacific Command, visited Taiwan. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian warned that China would not tolerate any military cooperation between the United States and Taiwan. Lijian cautioned that there would be an apt retaliation against the increasing collaboration between the United States and Taiwan. Before this, China had lashed out at the United States and Taiwan when Alex Azar, US Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Under Secretary of State, Keith Krach, had visited Taiwan.