Taiwan has commissioned two new navy ships as a safeguard against the rising threat from China, which has been increasing its naval and air force missions around the island it claims as its own territory. The pair of Tuo Chiang class corvettes completes the first order of six domestically produced catamarans with stealth capabilities. These ships are small but fast, highly maneuverable, and equipped with a range of missiles and deck guns aimed at countering larger Chinese vessels and rocketry.
Outgoing President Tsai Ing-wen oversaw the commissioning at the northern port of Suao, emphasizing her efforts to revitalize Taiwan's defense industries and enhance its defense capabilities. Taiwan has also fast-tracked the production of trainer jets and the island's first homebuilt submarines to strengthen its military.
Taiwan, which was colonized by China in the 1600s and later taken over by Japan, has a complex history. The island split from China amid the Chinese Civil War in 1949. China, under Xi Jinping's leadership, has been expanding its military presence in the Pacific, the South China Sea, and along the border with India.
China boasts the world's largest standing military and navy, with three aircraft carriers. Recent tensions between patrol vessels near Taiwan-controlled islands have raised concerns about a potential conflict that could involve the U.S., which is obligated to ensure Taiwan's defense.
Taiwan's military, though outnumbered, has been strengthened with new weaponry and an extended period of national service for men. The air force, navy, and missile corps respond to frequent incursions by Chinese ships and planes. Taiwan remains on alert for a possible Chinese sneak attack, particularly targeting key officials despised by Beijing.
Recent reports have shown Chinese People's Liberation Army training grounds with mock-ups of Taipei's Presidential Office Building neighborhood. Taiwan's Defense Ministry reported Chinese planes and ships operating around the island, while Beijing criticized Taiwan's military exercises near the Taiwan-held island group of Kinmen.
Amid escalating tensions, both Taiwan and China are closely monitoring each other's military activities, raising concerns about a potential conflict in the region.
