The Industrial Development Bureau and the state-owned China Shipbuilding Corp (CSC) yesterday said that Taiwan is able to build submarines with a transfer of key US technology, but the Ministry of National Defense said the US would not help Taiwan do so.
But several legislators yesterday strongly criticized the government for "having no strategy" to promote the nation's submarine-building capability.
"Korea, Pakistan, Greece and Spain all built their own submarines, so why can't a technologically-advanced Taiwan do it too?" People First Party (PFP) Legislator Lin Yu-fang (
PHOTO: LIN CHENG-KUN, TAIPEI TIMES
"Taiwan's defenses have relied too much on the US, and the government has failed to enhance its defense industry," PFP Legislator Nelson Ku (
But bureau officials were more upbeat.
"A cross-ministry task force has reached the conclusion that the CSC is almost able to build submarines without large-scale investment in its shipbuilding equipment," Industrial Development Bureau director Chen Chao-yi (陳昭義) told the legislature. "However, the US' provision of submarine blueprints and submarine weapons systems are two prerequisites."
Chen said the task force requested that the defense ministry negotiate with the US over the purchase of eight submarines, in which Taiwan would send personnel to observe the building of two submarines in the US, then build one-third of the third and fourth submarines, two-thirds of the fifth and sixth submarines, and the seventh and eighth vessels in their entirety.
Fan Kuang-nan (范光男), acting chairman of the CSC, said that the company was looking forward to building submarines for the navy.
"The company has assessed that it only has to spend NT$1 billion on equipment to build the submarines," he said.
However, Vice Minister of National Defense Huo Shou-yeh (霍守業) said the US does not support the idea of US-Taiwan co-operation in submarine-building.
"The US has told the ministry on several occasions that it won't help Taiwan build submarines, and the ministry thinks the US has no financial interest in doing so," he said.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
The New Taipei City Government would assist relatives of those killed or injured in last month’s car-ramming incident in Sansia District (三峽) to secure compensation, Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said yesterday, two days after the driver died in a hospital. “The city government will do its best to help the relatives of the car crash incident seek compensation,” Hou said. The mayor also said that the city’s Legal Affairs, Education and Social Welfare departments have established a joint mechanism to “provide coordinated assistance” to victims and their families. Three people were killed and 12 injured when a car plowed into schoolchildren and their
RSS