Fri, Mar 18, 2005 page3

• Chinese subs a growing threat to region: MAC

  NAVAL BUILD-UP One military expert said that while Beijing is expanding its submarine fleet, it is still far from being able to take on the US navy

  • By Rich Chang / STAFF REPORTER
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  A military expert said China's submarine strategy has been aimed at targeting US aircraft carriers and making it more difficult for the US to use force in Asia, as Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Chairman Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) yesterday called for the international community to pay more attention to the Chinese threat to naval forces in Asia.

  During an interpellation session at the Legislative Yuan, Wu said that China's ongoing military build-up indicates that it has ambitions beyond blockading Taiwan.

  He said that China's military growth was such that while other nations usually had one shipbuilder making subs, China had three.

  "Not only does China have Ming-class, Song-class and Yuan-class submarines, it has also has Type-093 and Type-094 nuclear-powered attack submarines," Wu said.

  He noted that China had purchased a total of 12 Kilo-class submarines from Russia.

  "China has more than it needs to create a military blockade around Taiwan -- clearly their ambitions aim higher than this," Wu said.

  Ou Si-fu (歐錫富), a researcher at the Institute for National Policy Research, who also provided research papers on China's People Liberation Army (PLA) for the council and Ministry of National Defense, told the Taipei Times that China has been developing an advanced submarine force that is able to attack and deter US aircraft carrier fleets, but this was not an easy task given the gap between the PLA navy (PLAN) and US navy.

  Ou hinted that China's submarine force has been focused on becoming capable of carrying out an underwater blockade of Taiwan.

  China has been developing the capability to deploy its naval forces beyond its coastline, he said.

  Beijing has developed submarine-launched ballistic missiles and a nuclear-powered submarine to carry them, he said.

  Ou said the PLAN currently possessed one Hsia-class strategic missile-carrying sub, and a new indigenous nuclear-powered 094 submarine is expected to be completed later this year.

  A long-rang ballistic missiles on the 094 submarine might be able to reach the US mainland from its underwater base on China's coast, he said.

  He said the PLAN has more than 70 submarines. As the PLAN modernizes, it is phasing out its fleet of more than 30 older Romeo-class diesel submarines and replacing them with indigenously produced Ming and Song-class, and the Russian-built Kilo-class subs.

  Ou said China has 20 Ming-class submarines, six or seven Soong-class submarines, four Kilo-class submarines and has placed an order for another eight Kilo-class submarines from Russia.

  He said US intelligence officials have confirmed that China has produced a new non-nuclear powered attack submarine as the first Yuan-class submarine. He said the Song is the first Chinese submarine equipped with a submerged-launch anti-ship cruise missile.

  The Song, Yuan and Kilo subs would provide the next generation in China's conventional submarine technology, he said.

  However, Ou said the Kilo-class sub was designed in the late 1970s, and none of the three types are among the most advanced submarines. But he was doubtful the PLAN was capable of countering the more advanced US navy.

  He said the PLAN longed to get its hands on the newest generation of Russian-built Lada (or Amur) class subs which will join the Russian navy later this year, but Moscow refused to export the technology to China. He said if the US sends more offensive subs and AGEIS destroyers to East Asia, it will be able to destroy the PLAN's submarine force.

  Additional report by Joy Su
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