Taiwan submarine project chief quits, ministry says plans to proceed
Taiwan's homegrown submarine programme will remain on track, the defence minister said on Wednesday (Apr 17), after the head of the programme resigned due to what he said were unfair attacks against him and the military.
Taiwan's submarine program remains on track despite the resignation of its chief due to unfair attacks. The program, key to modernizing the military amid tensions with China, has unveiled the first of eight submarines, with plans for two by 2027. Defense Minister affirmed continuity, emphasizing strategic importance.
Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, has made the submarine programme a key part of an ambitious project to modernise its armed forces as Beijing stages almost daily military exercises to assert sovereignty claims Taipei rejects.
Taiwan unveiled the first of eight new submarines in late September, though it won't enter service until next year. The programme has drawn on expertise and technology from severalHuang told Reuters that the submarine task force, which includes the navy and shipbuilder CSBC Corp, will continue to operate despite his departure.
"It's impossible that the team will be dismissed due to one man's departure," he said.
Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng told reporters on Wednesday that Huang was a "conscientious" person but added: "The members of the task force are all on active duty and can work for a long time. It will not change due to a single personnel change."
Huang has previously described the submarines as a "strategic deterrent" that can also help maintain the island's "lifeline" to the Pacific by keeping ports along Taiwan's eastern coast open.
Taiwan hopes to deploy at least two such domestically developed submarines by 2027, and possibly equip later models with submarine-launched anti-ship missiles.
Source: www.channelnewsasia.com
