The Ministry of National Defense (MND) declined to make any comment yesterday on a report that the US will present options to Taiwan in the spring for their conventional submarine deal.
The magazine US Defense News reported in its latest issue that US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Peter Brookes told the weekly in an interview that the Pentagon had received offers from various weaponry manufacturers regarding its plan to sell eight diesel-powered submarines to Taiwan.
Brookes further said that the Pentagon was studying all the offers presented by prospective defense contractors and that US naval authorities will refer all available options to Taipei this spring for Taiwan to make a final decision.
The MND would not confirm the report on the grounds that it is the ministry's established policy to refrain from making any comments on its military procurement plans.
Nevertheless, Chief of the General Staff Admiral Li Chieh (
Li said that the US government would take full charge of seeking contractors as well as handling submarine construction matters.
"The US government has invited prospective suppliers to present their design and manufacturing blueprints through its official Web site," Li said, adding that Taiwan's state-owned China Shipbuilding Corp has also expressed its intention of joining in the bidding.
Earlier this month, Li said, US authorities informed Taiwan's navy that they had completed an extensive evaluation of options put forth by interested contractors and would send representatives to Taiwan next month to discuss further details with Taiwan's naval authorities.
The Bush administration agreed to sell Taiwan eight conventional submarines last year to help beef up the nation's naval defense capabilities in the face of China's mounting military threat.
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