Taiwan to present indigenous submarine plan to U.S.

Taiwan will present a plan to build indigenous submarines at the upcoming United States-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference and reaffirm its resolution in self-defense, Defense Minister Yen Ming said Wednesday.Responding to questions at the Legislature's committee on foreign affairs and national defense, Yen said a Taiwanese delegation to the U.S., to be led by Deputy Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng, will also touch on defense procurement from the U.S. during closed-door meetings.

Taiwan's state-owned aerospace company, Aerospace Industrial Development Corp., will attend the conference, Yen said.Taiwan is mulling whether to step up its defense capabilities by either buying submarines from the U.S. or building them on its own using technology provided by Washington, Yen said.Either way, Taiwan will need support from the U.S., he said, although he added that other democratic countries are encouraged to work with Taiwan on the issue.

At present, Taiwan has four submarines -- two 70-year-old U.S.-built Guppy-class ships that are used only for training, and two Dutch-made subs that serve as the Navy's main submarine battle force.