China Shipbuilding Corp has developed high-compression-resistant hulls for submarines since beginning a research and development program a year ago, a spokesman for the state-owned company said yesterday.
The success in building the pressure-resistant hull section for the main propulsion motor -- one of the major parts of a submarine -- has allowed the company to move forward in its bid to secure orders to build conventional submarines for the navy, the spokesman said.
China Shipbuilding, with technical assistance from the Joint Ship Design Center, has been trying to upgrade its shipbuilding capabilities so it can vie for orders to build diesel-powered submarines for the navy.
The company's efforts to build submarine parts and components is also in line with the government's policy of promoting domestic construction of warships, the spokesman said.
The US agreed to sell eight diesel-powered submarines to Taipei as part of an arms sales package in April 2001.
Legislators have been pushing the government to lobby US authorities to commission the company to build several of the subs.
The Cabinet formed a supra-ministerial task force last month to help accelerate the company's submarine development program in response to the lawmakers' calls.
The building of the hull section for the main propulsion motor marked the completion of the first stage of development of the company's submarine-building program, dubbed the "Hidden Dragon Project."
In the second stage of the project, the company will focus on internal outfitting work, such as piping, which will take another three or four years to complete, the spokesman said.
China has reserved offshore airspace in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea from March 27 to May 6, issuing alerts usually used to warn of military exercises, although no such exercises have been announced, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported yesterday. Reserving such a large area for 40 days without explanation is an “unusual step,” as military exercises normally only last a few days, the paper said. These alerts, known as Notice to Air Missions (Notams), “are intended to inform pilots and aviation authorities of temporary airspace hazards or restrictions,” the article said. The airspace reserved in the alert is
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