The navy yesterday took delivery of the first locally developed and built naval ship of more than 10,000 tonnes in a ceremony in Kaohsiung presided over by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).
The ROCS Yushan, an amphibious transport dock, was the result of a government-initiated indigenous shipbuilding project seeking to establish autonomy over national defense, Tsai said.
She thanked CSBC Corp, Taiwan (台船), the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology and the navy for their contributions.
Photo: Sam Yeh, AFP
The military needs the best equipment to uphold peace and defend Taiwan as it faces military threats from China, Tsai said.
The 153m long and 23m wide Yushan has a displacement of 10,600 tonnes and can travel at up to 22.1 knots (41kph), CSBC chairman Cheng Wen-lon (鄭文隆) said.
The ship boasts stealth capabilities and protection against electromagnetic pulse shockwaves, Cheng said.
Photo: Ann Wang, REUTERS
It has one 76mm gun and two Phalanx close-in weapons systems, and is equipped with 32 naval Sky Sword II anti-aircraft missiles, Cheng said.
The armament enables the ship to conduct unescorted amphibious combat operations, Cheng said.
During combat, the Yushan can be used as an amphibious support unit, while in peacetime, it can be used as a disaster relief unit and emergency medical aid station, in line with the navy’s “disaster relief during peacetime, combat duties during wartime” guiding principle, Tsai said.
The Yushan is equipped with five landing craft that can conduct beachhead landings, Cheng said.
The landing craft can travel at up to 21 knots, far faster than the navy initially requested, he said.
The Yushan can carry two high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles or one 15-tonne vehicle, he added.
Tsai said that many navy officers have applied to transfer to the Yushan, showing their readiness to face the challenge of operating the new ship.
“If we have faith, we can overcome any challenges, no matter what they are,” Tsai said.
The navy said the ship is undergoing trials that would help its crew become familiar with its operation.
The ship was in April assigned to the navy’s Amphibious 151st Fleet, given the hull classification of LPD-1401 and welcomed its first captain, Chen Ming-tse (陳明澤), the navy said.
Taiwan is projected to lose a working-age population of about 6.67 million people in two waves of retirement in the coming years, as the nation confronts accelerating demographic decline and a shortage of younger workers to take their place, the Ministry of the Interior said. Taiwan experienced its largest baby boom between 1958 and 1966, when the population grew by 3.78 million, followed by a second surge of 2.89 million between 1976 and 1982, ministry data showed. In 2023, the first of those baby boom generations — those born in the late 1950s and early 1960s — began to enter retirement, triggering
ECONOMIC BOOST: Should the more than 23 million people eligible for the NT$10,000 handouts spend them the same way as in 2023, GDP could rise 0.5 percent, an official said Universal cash handouts of NT$10,000 (US$330) are to be disbursed late next month at the earliest — including to permanent residents and foreign residents married to Taiwanese — pending legislative approval, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. The Executive Yuan yesterday approved the Special Act for Strengthening Economic, Social and National Security Resilience in Response to International Circumstances (因應國際情勢強化經濟社會及民生國安韌性特別條例). The NT$550 billion special budget includes NT$236 billion for the cash handouts, plus an additional NT$20 billion set aside as reserve funds, expected to be used to support industries. Handouts might begin one month after the bill is promulgated and would be completed within
NO CHANGE: The TRA makes clear that the US does not consider the status of Taiwan to have been determined by WWII-era documents, a former AIT deputy director said The American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) comments that World War-II era documents do not determine Taiwan’s political status accurately conveyed the US’ stance, the US Department of State said. An AIT spokesperson on Saturday said that a Chinese official mischaracterized World War II-era documents as stating that Taiwan was ceded to the China. The remarks from the US’ de facto embassy in Taiwan drew criticism from the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, whose director said the comments put Taiwan in danger. The Chinese-language United Daily News yesterday reported that a US State Department spokesperson confirmed the AIT’s position. They added that the US would continue to
The National Development Council (NDC) yesterday unveiled details of new regulations that ease restrictions on foreigners working or living in Taiwan, as part of a bid to attract skilled workers from abroad. The regulations, which could go into effect in the first quarter of next year, stem from amendments to the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals (外國專業人才延攬及僱用法) passed by lawmakers on Aug. 29. Students categorized as “overseas compatriots” would be allowed to stay and work in Taiwan in the two years after their graduation without obtaining additional permits, doing away with the evaluation process that is currently required,
RSS