US Security Partner Receives Submarine Boost Against China’s Invasion Fleet

Taiwan—a key security partner of the United States—has begun sea trials of its first indigenous submarine following its unveiling nearly two years ago.

Newsweek has contacted the Chinese defense and foreign ministries for comment by email.

Why It Matters

Communist China has long claimed Taiwan—a self-ruled, democratic island—as part of its territory, despite never having governed it. Beijing has vowed to achieve unification with the island, by force if necessary. U.S. officials believe Chinese leader Xi Jinping has instructed the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to be capable of taking Taiwan by 2027.

China has the world’s largest navy by hull count, including numerous amphibious vessels capable of projecting air and land power from sea to shore during a potential island-landing campaign across the Taiwan Strait. In response to China’s growing naval threat, Taiwan has been arming itself with anti-ship weapons—both U.S.-supplied and domestically developed.

Taiwan forms part of the First Island Chain under a U.S. containment strategy aimed at restricting China’s naval activities in the Western Pacific during wartime. Meanwhile, the Taiwan Relations Act obligates Washington to provide the island with defensive weapons.

What To Know

The Taiwanese navy submarine Narwhal, also known as Hai Kun, conducted “navigation tests” on Saturday and “floating navigation tests” on Tuesday in Kaohsiung Harbor, located in the southern part of the island, according to shipbuilder CSBC Corporation, Taiwan.

During the floating navigation tests, the submarine’s systems—including propulsion, rudder, electricity, communication, and navigation—were evaluated, the shipbuilder added. These systems will be fine-tuned based on the test results prior to the next stage of sea trials.

The submarine, unveiled in September 2023, is scheduled to undergo three stages of trials at sea: floating navigation, shallow-water diving, and deep-water diving. The diving tests will require the submarine to be fully submerged at progressively greater depths and pressures.

The sea trials were originally scheduled for April, according to Taiwan’s Central News Agency. It remains unclear whether the submarine will be able to complete the trials and be delivered before the November deadline set by the military.

According to a Pentagon report, the Taiwanese navy operates four attack submarines, while the PLA fields 47 conventionally powered and six nuclear-powered attack submarines, as well as six nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines.

Of the four aging Taiwanese submarines, two were acquired from the Netherlands in the 1980s and two were former U.S. training submarines built during World War II.

The Chinese military has maintained a persistent presence around Taiwan with its naval and coast guard vessels, conducting exercises aimed at establishing a blockade around the island. Submarines would play a vital role in Taiwan’s defense by countering any such blockade.

What People Are Saying

Chiu Chun-jung, Taiwanese Navy Chief of Staff, said in April: “April was the original goal [of commencing sea trials]…We are currently working on improvements and final calibrations to meet the requirements set for sea trials. That is our main goal.”

Specialist outlet Naval News commented in September 2023: “Although a domestic submarine, most of the major mission-critical systems and subsystems of the [Narwhal] are provided by numerous foreign contractors with long and solid experience in the submarine industry.”

What Happens Next

Taiwan is expected to continue strengthening its defenses against a possible Chinese invasion from the sea, as China rapidly expands the size and capabilities of its naval fleet.