Taiwan submarine dream surfaces as China tensions rise
Taipei to unveil island-made sub despite years of Beijing pressure on suppliers
As tensions with China escalate, Taiwan is set to unveil its first domestically made submarine in the southern port city of Kaohsiung next month. The ambitious program aims to create a fleet of eight diesel-electric submarines, equipped with U.S.-made MK-48 anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare torpedoes. The initiative has been seven years in the making and aims to serve as a deterrent against Chinese aggression. Despite Beijing's efforts to pressure other countries into not supplying Taiwan with military equipment, the island nation's program has garnered international support, including from the United States. The first vessel alone carries a price tag of $1.54 billion, and its effectiveness in countering China's increasingly assertive military posture remains to be seen.