Taiwan Begins Sea Trials of Its First Homegrown Submarine to Counter Growing Chinese Threat

Taiwan has taken a big step in strengthening its military defences by starting sea trials of its first domestically built submarine. The move comes as tensions with China remain high, with Beijing repeatedly claiming that Taiwan is part of its territory and refusing to rule out the use of force to seize control of the self-governed island.

This new submarine is part of a larger defence project launched by Taiwan in 2016, aimed at building a fleet of eight modern submarines to boost its underwater combat capabilities. After years of effort, shipbuilder CSBC Corporation announced that the submarine began its sea trials last Saturday from the southern port city of Kaohsiung.

The vessel successfully completed its first phase of trials, known as a “floating navigation test,” by Tuesday. According to the shipbuilder, this is the first of three planned testing stages. The next phases will involve submerged navigation and combat system tests.

Measuring 80 meters (262 feet) in length and weighing between 2,500 to 3,000 tons, the submarine is equipped with advanced combat systems and torpedoes supplied by US defence firm Lockheed Martin. Taiwan’s Navy has stated that they aim to finish all sea trials by September 30 and officially take delivery of the submarine by November-end this year.

However, the project has not been without challenges. Taiwan’s two main opposition parties — the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) — had earlier this year frozen part of the submarine program’s budget. They argued that they wanted to review the submarine’s performance in trials before approving further funding.

This development is part of Taiwan’s strategy to adopt “asymmetric warfare” tactics, focusing on smaller, smarter, and more flexible weapons like submarines, drones, and mobile missile systems. Given that Taiwan would be heavily outmatched in a direct conflict with China, which now boasts one of the world’s largest navies — including nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers — these asymmetric tools are seen as vital for the island’s defence.

At present, Taiwan operates just two ageing Swordfish-class submarines bought from the Netherlands in the 1980s. The addition of this modern, indigenously-built submarine marks a significant milestone for the island’s defence industry and its efforts to reduce dependence on foreign military suppliers.

While the program faces political and financial hurdles, military experts believe these new submarines could play a crucial role in deterring Chinese aggression and safeguarding Taiwan’s territorial waters in the coming years.