Taiwanese shipbuilder CSBC Corp. announced Wednesday that it has begun sea trials of its first domestically-built submarine, as Taiwan seeks to bolster its military capabilities to counter a potential Chinese invasion.
The submarine successfully completed the first phase of testing on Tuesday, conducting a "floating navigation test," the company said in a statement.
"CSBC will continue to modify and improve each system based on the test results and will move on to the next phase of underwater testing," it added.
Taiwan, which could be significantly outmatched by China in the event of a conflict, is seeking to bolster its capabilities in "asymmetric warfare" by deploying more flexible equipment such as submarines and drones.
China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has threatened to resort to force to seize control of the island.
The prototype tested on Tuesday is one of eight submarines to be delivered under a program launched by former President Tsai Ing-wen in 2016. The submarine, unveiled in 2023, was designed domestically and began construction in 2020.
It cost $1.5 billion, is 80 meters long, and has a displacement of between 2,500 and 3,000 tons. It is equipped with combat systems and torpedoes from the American company Lockheed Martin.
However, the program has faced some obstacles, particularly at the political level.
Earlier this year, the opposition, which controls parliament, froze part of the program's budget, stating that it wanted to see the results of the submarine's at-sea testing before releasing the funds.
However, some fear that the opposition's efforts to cut military spending could harm the archipelago's ability to build its capabilities.
The Taiwanese Navy currently operates two operational Swordfish-class submarines, which were purchased from the Netherlands in the 1980s.
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