Although the US has approved the marketing license required for US manufacturers to sell Taiwan the technology needed to build domestic submarines, the move could prove largely symbolic if the nation lacks the ability to undertake system integration, parts assembly and testing, experts said yesterday.
The US Department of State’s approval of the marketing license is a major breakthrough for Taiwan’s goal of developing its own submarines, the Ministry of National Defense said on Saturday, while expressing gratitude to the US government for helping Taiwan upgrade its self-defense capabilities.
The Presidential Office and the ministry thanked the US for its commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), which requires the US to provide Taiwan with arms and services of a defensive nature.
Although the US has continuously insisted on a peaceful settlement of cross-strait differences based on the TRA, China’s frequent military maneuvers near Taiwan have prompted Washington to take measures to ensure Taipei can maintain a credible defense through either business sales or technology transfers, National Chengchi University Institute of International Relations director Arthur Ding (丁樹範) said.
US technology transfers to Taiwan have often been limited to those of a defensive nature, with front-end technologies excluded, Ding said.
In contrast, the granting of the marketing license could be interpreted as US support for Taiwan to build domestic submarines, Ding said.
However, under this sales model, Taiwan has to manage and control downstream supply chain operations, such as system integration, he said, adding that if the government really wants to develop an indigenous defense industry, it needs clearer policies regarding budget allocation and investment.
The marketing license could indeed facilitate the building of domestic submarines, but there could still be a long way to go, because the US might not supply all the technology or equipment needed for the submarine project, such as weapons, sonar and underwater communication systems, Asia-Pacific Defense magazine editor-in-chief Kevin Cheng (鄭繼文) said.
A strong continental cold air mass is to bring pollutants to Taiwan from tomorrow, the Ministry of Environment said today, as it issued an “orange” air quality alert for most of the country. All of Taiwan except for Hualien and Taitung counties is to be under an “orange” air quality alert tomorrow, indicating air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups. In China, areas from Shandong to Shanghai have been enveloped in haze since Saturday, the ministry said in a news release. Yesterday, hourly concentrations of PM2.5 in these areas ranged from 65 to 160 micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m³), and pollutants were
Taiwan’s armed forces have established response protocols for a wide range of sudden contingencies, including the “Wan Chun Plan” to protect the head of state, the Ministry of Defense (MND) said today. After US President Donald Trump on Saturday launched a series of airstrikes in Venezuela and kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, concerns have been raised as to whether China would launch a similar “decapitation strike” on Taiwan. The armed forces regularly coordinate with relevant agencies and practice drills to ensure preparedness for a wide range of scenarios, Vice Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) told reporters before a
EVA Airways on Saturday said that it had suspended a pilot and opened an investigation after he allegedly lost his temper and punched the first officer several times as their plane was taxiing before takeoff at Los Angeles International Airport. According to a report published on Thursday by The Reporter, the incident occurred after the flight’s Malaysian first officer tried to warn the Taiwanese pilot, surnamed Wen (文), that he was taxiing faster than the speed limit of 30 knots (55.6kph). After alerting the pilot several times without response, the first officer manually applied the brakes in accordance with standard operating
NOT AN OPENING: Trump’s violation of international law does not affect China’s consideration in attacking Taiwan; Beijing lacks capability, not precedent, an official said Taiwanese officials see the US’ capture of the president of Venezuela as a powerful deterrent to Beijing’s aggression and a timely reminder of the US’ ability to defeat militaries equipped with Chinese-made weapons. The strikes that toppled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro signaled to authoritarian leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), US President Donald Trump’s willingness to use military might for international affairs core to US interests, one senior official in Taipei’s security circle said. That reassured Taiwan, the person said. Taipei has also dismissed the idea that Trump’s apparent violation of international law could embolden Beijing, said the official, who was not
RSS