A public plea to US President Barack Obama to help Taiwan build its own submarines is being made by one of Washington’s best-known and most respected experts on China’s military development.
“Taiwan would like help acquiring additional design consulting and sub-systems from the United States or potential European suppliers,” said Richard Fisher, senior fellow with the International Assessment and Strategy Center.
The plea, published by the conservative Washington Times, said that the help could also include combat systems, sonar systems, periscopes and weapons.
“By any consideration, Taiwan seeks a modest submarine fleet to provide a deterrent force,” Fisher said.
It is not meant to go sub-to-sub with the 65 to 73 diesel and nuclear-powered subs China may have by 2020, he added.
Still, four to eight submarines could complicate China’s real goal of amassing an amphibious military force sufficient to invade Taiwan, Fisher said.
Fisher said that China’s invasion plans envision using up to 12 new, large naval amphibious-assault ships and scores of new, very large civilian roll-on, roll-off ferries.
Taiwan’s submarines could effectively threaten these ships and force China to reconsider future invasion plans, Fisher said.
Providing Taiwan with the means to deter Chinese attack and to buy sufficient time to achieve a mutually acceptable peace with China has been a goal of US policy on Taiwan since the early 1950s. Unfortunately, this could take some time, for Beijing is unlikely to agree to any peace that allows Taiwan’s vibrant democracy to thrive, he said.
Supporting Taiwan’s ability to defend its freedom, advances immediate US interests in opposing Chinese aggression and defending a maritime balance of power favorable to the US and its Asian allies, Fisher said.
Also, China could quickly turn Taiwan into a military base for missile, air and naval forces that would threaten US allies Japan, South Korea and the Philippines.
Fisher said that for two years Obama has advocated finding Taiwan appropriate “asymmetric” weapons to offset China’s growing conventional military superiority.
“Helping Taiwan to achieve indigenous production of submarines would be consistent with this goal,” Fisher said.
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