A "Friendship Flotilla" of three Taiwanese naval vessels returned to Tsoying Naval Base in southern Taiwan yesterday after circumnavigating the globe and making port calls at several of Taiwan's diplomatic allies.
The 105-day, 55,500km journey marked a watershed in the history of the nation's naval service, setting a record for the longest distance traveled in a single deployment.
The three ships that comprised the flotilla were the Lafayette-class frigate Kang Ding, the Perry-class frigate Chi Kuang and the fleet oiler Wu Yi.
PHOTO: CNA
The journey was meant to demonstrate the capabilities of the navy, provide valuable training for the 700-member crew of sailors and marines and boost relations between Taiwan and its diplomatic allies, naval Captain Sheng Chi-lun (
"The mission was very successful," he said.
The flotilla set out on March 7, traveling west through the Malacca Strait and the Indian Ocean to the Suez Canal. It continued its journey through the Mediterranean Sea and along the coast of West Africa, where it made its first port call in Senegal -- one of Taiwan's diplomatic allies -- on April 16.
There, the crew gave demonstrations of martial arts and precision drills, as well as hosting a number of events designed to inform people about Taiwan and the role of the navy and marine corps.
The Wu Yi was transformed into a floating information center, complete with videos, models and displays documenting Taiwan's history and attractions.
The flotilla then cruised to Gambia, where it held similar events. The next stop was St. Vincent and the Grenadines, followed by the Dominican Republic and then through the Panama canal. All four countries formally recognize Taiwan.
Finally, the three ships crossed the eastern Pacific, making their way to the capital of Kiribati, Tarawa atoll. From Tarawa, the trips traveled to two more allied countries, Marshall Islands and Palau, before returning to Tsoying yesterday.
"The crew did a wonderful job, and their morale was very high," the commander of the flotilla, Admiral Fan Pao-hua (
In each country that the ships visited, the sailors and marines received a warm welcome, Sheng said.
The mission also received a lot of support from Taiwanese embassies and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he added.
Another purpose behind the cruise was to test the navy's long-range combat capabilities. This included conducting electronic warfare, logistical and night-combat drills, Fan said.
Amid a throng of family members and media, the flotilla's crew held a homecoming ceremony beside the Kang Ding yesterday, which lay at berth in Tsoying.
The ceremony was attended by a constellation of naval brass, including the service's commander-in-chief, Marine General Chen Pan-chih (
Chen lauded the crewmembers for their contribution to Taiwan's security and congratulated them on their successful voyage.
Although Taiwanese ships regularly conduct training cruises in the Pacific and to Latin America, this is the first time that such an ambitious itinerary had been attempted.
RETHINK? The defense ministry and Navy Command Headquarters could take over the indigenous submarine project and change its production timeline, a source said Admiral Huang Shu-kuang’s (黃曙光) resignation as head of the Indigenous Submarine Program and as a member of the National Security Council could affect the production of submarines, a source said yesterday. Huang in a statement last night said he had decided to resign due to national security concerns while expressing the hope that it would put a stop to political wrangling that only undermines the advancement of the nation’s defense capabilities. Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday said that the admiral, her older brother, felt it was time for him to step down and that he had completed what he
Taiwan has experienced its most significant improvement in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, data provided on Sunday by international higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) showed. Compared with last year’s edition of the rankings, which measure academic excellence and influence, Taiwanese universities made great improvements in the H Index metric, which evaluates research productivity and its impact, with a notable 30 percent increase overall, QS said. Taiwanese universities also made notable progress in the Citations per Paper metric, which measures the impact of research, achieving a 13 percent increase. Taiwanese universities gained 10 percent in Academic Reputation, but declined 18 percent
CHINA REACTS: The patrol and reconnaissance plane ‘transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,’ the 7th Fleet said, while Taipei said it saw nothing unusual The US 7th Fleet yesterday said that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait, a day after US and Chinese defense heads held their first talks since November 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions. The patrol and reconnaissance plane “transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,” the 7th Fleet said in a news release. “By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.” In a separate statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that it monitored nearby waters and airspace as the aircraft
UNDER DISCUSSION: The combatant command would integrate fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups to defend waters closest to the coastline, a source said The military could establish a new combatant command as early as 2026, which would be tasked with defending Taiwan’s territorial waters 24 nautical miles (44.4km) from the nation’s coastline, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. The new command, which would fall under the Naval Command Headquarters, would be led by a vice admiral and integrate existing fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups, along with the Naval Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance Command, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. It could be launched by 2026, but details are being discussed and no final timetable has been announced, the source