Washington is said to be “backing away” from helping Taiwan to buy or build full-scale diesel-electric submarines.
Instead, an unnamed US official has told the conservative Washington Times newspaper that the White House has agreed to assist the nation in developing mini coastal submarines as a “halfway measure.”
According to the newspaper, the Pentagon is opposed to the nation’s submarine plans because of fears that they would upset China, saying it fears that if the US supplies technology or weapons for full-size subs, Beijing might react by disrupting the high-priority military exchange program between the US and China.
“The Chinese military cut ties to the Pentagon several times in recent years to protest US arms sales to Taiwan,” a report said.
Beijing agreed to resume exchanges only if US President Barack Obama’s administration adopted “new-type” relations that include gradually ending arms sales, the report said.
There had been signals over the past few weeks that Washington would help Taiwan with its indigenous submarine program.
Thus, if the Washington Times report is accurate, it would be a bitter disappointment to Taipei and Obama would face heavy criticism from the US Congress, where there is considerable support for Taiwan’s submarine plans.
“Critics of the small-sub plan say the Taiwanese need larger submarines, as well as mini-subs, as a key asymmetric warfare weapon to deter the Chinese — something small submarines alone are unlikely to do,” the report said.
“Despite its 30-year quest, no one has the guts to sell submarines to Taiwan,” International Assessment and Strategy Center fellow Rick Fisher is quoted as saying. “Now Taiwan has taken the momentous step of starting their own program, it would be a crushing blow if the UD [US Department of Defense] did not support it.”
Fisher believes that full-size subs could hold off a Chinese invasion.
Pentagon spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Pool said: “The US has received Taiwan’s requests for diesel submarines. These requests remain under interagency review.”
Taiwan wants to build at least four 1,500-tonne subs in its own shipyards, but is unlikely to be able to do so without US technical assistance. The Taipei Times was unable to get any further reaction from the Pentagon or the White House.
In related news, the Wall Street Journal reported that a Chinese attack submarine has made its first known foray into the Indian Ocean.
According to the US Naval Institute, the Chinese navy has 77 surface warships, more than 60 submarines, 55 amphibious ships and about 85 missile-equipped small ships.
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