Taiwan’s first domestically built attack submarine was seen on water for the first time after its launch last week. The Hai Kun (SS-711) was built in Kaohsiung and was completed in September 2023, with trials and evaluations expected to be complete by April 2024.
Due to increased military tensions with China’s People’s Liberation Army, the Hai Kun-class submarines are part of an initiative by Taiwan to increase domestic weapons production after increasing defense spending to 2.4 percent of the island’s GDP.
Chinese spokesperson Liu Pengyu told Newsweek, “No matter how many weapons the DPP (Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party) authorities build or purchase, they cannot stop the overwhelming trend of national reunification, nor can they shake the Chinese people’s strong determination, firm will, and formidable capabilities in defending national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
