Taiwan to protect sovereignty with new submarines
Taiwan marked the start of construction of a new fleet of domestically developed submarines in the southern city of Kaohsiung on Tuesday (November 24).
At the ceremony, President Tsai Ing-wen vowed to defend the democratic island's sovereignty and called the move a "historic milestone" for Taiwan's defensive capabilities.
"Today's construction of a national submarine -- they demonstrate the power and independence of national defense which is strengthening day-by-day."
The event was attended by the de facto U.S. ambassador to Taiwan, Brent Christensen, as this is a key project supported by the United States.
The U.S. government in 2018 gave the green light for U.S. manufacturers to participate in the program, a move widely seen as helping Taiwan secure major components, though it is unclear which U.S. companies are involved.
State-backed CSBC Corporation Taiwan said it would deliver the first of eight planned submarines in 2025, giving a major boost to Tsai's military-modernisation and self-sufficiency plan.
Taiwan's armed forces are mostly equipped by the United States, but Tsai has made development of an advanced home-grown defense industry a priority.
China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, has ramped up its military activities nearby.
Chinese forces have, on occasion, flown fighter jets across the unofficial buffer median line of the sensitive Taiwan Strait.
