Taiwan's asymmetric warfare strategy is to invest in war equipment that is lighter and more dynamic than on a large scale.
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A group of Taiwan Navy personnel walk past the country's first domestically made submarine during a launch ceremony at CSBC Corp's shipyard in southern Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on September 28th, 2023.
KAOHSIUNG, THURSDAY—Taiwan has launched its first domestically-built submarine. The vessel will undergo testing before being handed over to the Taiwan Navy. Tensions between Taiwan and China have resulted in Taiwan, with the support of the United States, developing an asymmetric warfare strategy.
The submarine, named Hai Kun after the mystical sea creature in Chinese mythology, was inaugurated by President of Taiwan Tsai Ing-wen at Kaohsiung Port on Thursday (28/9/2023). During the event, only the top part of the submarine was shown, while the bottom and sides, which are typically used to transport weapons, were covered by the Taiwanese flag.
"This is a historic day because Taiwan has achieved what we once thought impossible. Taiwan now has the autonomy to defend itself," said Tsai, quoted by Taiwan's Central News Agency.
The submarine Hai Kun was made by CSBC Corp as the contractor. According to CSBC Corp's CEO Cheng Wen-long, what distinguishes Hai Kun from other submarines is its X-shaped rudder. Usually, submarine rudders are shaped like a rod. Cheng said that the X shape makes it easier for the submarine to maneuver.
President of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen (center), took a photo with a prototype submarine during the launch ceremony of the first domestically made submarine at the CSBC Corp shipyard in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan on September 28, 2023.
Currently, Taiwan only has four submarines. Two were purchased in 1970 and are American submarines from World War II. These submarines are used for training by the Taiwanese Navy. The other two were purchased from the Netherlands in the 1980s.
Therefore, Taiwan has developed a domestic submarine manufacturing program under Admiral Huang Shu-kuang. This program is based on the encouragement of the US for Taiwan to develop asymmetric warfare strategies. The Taiwanese military will not be able to fight against the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China, which has more personnel and combat equipment. However, this asymmetric strategy requires Taiwan to act smarter. The key is to develop lighter, smaller, and more dynamic combat equipment.
Taiwan is the first line of defense in East Asia. If Taiwan falls, Japan and South Korea will be automatically threatened. This is the reason why the importance of Taiwan having an independent defense system is increasing.
According to Huang, Hai Kun will be tested on October 1st. If all test stages are successful, this submarine will be handed over to the Taiwanese Navy before the end of 2024. After that, Taiwan plans to build another submarine that is expected to be completed by 2027. Taiwan aims to have a total of eight domestically produced submarines.
The creation of Hai Kun took seven years, from planning to execution. Taiwan brought in experts from the US, Japan, South Korea, and India for its development. This is a notable achievement, considering Taiwan does not have diplomatic relations with any of these countries.
"Taiwan is the first line of defense in East Asia. If Taiwan falls, Japan and South Korea are automatically at risk. This is why it is increasingly important for Taiwan to have an independent defense system," said Huang.
President of Taiwan Tsai Ing-wen delivered a speech during the launch ceremony of the first domestically-made submarine in Kaohsiung, on September 28, 2023.
The relationship between Taiwan and China is heating up as Chinese President Xi Jinping repeatedly expresses his ambition to reunify Taiwan with China. In truth, only 14 countries have diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Almost all countries in the world recognize the One China principle which declares Taiwan as an autonomous territory of China.
President Tsai of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), who has been in office for two terms, made Taiwan's ambition for independence the cornerstone of his government. This has angered China and as a response, they have increased their military exercises in the Taiwan Strait.
Huang stated that the Taiwan Strait is too shallow for submarines to navigate. Hence, the Hai Kun will be used to patrol the Miyako Strait that separates Taiwan and Japan, as well as the Bashi Strait that separates Taiwan and the Philippines.
The Hai Kun submarine technology, which will be equipped with Lockheed Martin's combat system and Mark 48 missiles, is difficult to track, making it suitable for attacking Chinese combat ships. However, the main purpose of this submarine is to serve as a warning to all parties not to attack or intrude upon Taiwan.
China responded to Hai Kun's launch as Taiwan playing with fire. Reporting from the government-affiliated newspaper, China Daily, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said Taiwan's actions only widen their path to destruction.
Wu described Taiwan's strategy of deploying submarines to prevent military encirclement by China as "unreasonable". "No matter how many weapons are built or purchased by the Tsai administration, they will not be able to stop the spirit of national unification or shake the PLA's ability to defend national sovereignty," he said. (AP/REUTERS)
