Taiwan unveils first domestically built submarine

The first prototype, named “Hai Kun” in Chinese, meaning “mythical sea creature”. Photo was taken by Taiwan’s Central News Agency.

Taiwan unveiled its first domestically built submarine Thursday as the massively outgunned island seeks to bolster defences against China, which slammed the strategy as “idiotic nonsense”.

China claims self-ruled Taiwan as its territory, and has in the past year stepped up military and political pressure, ramping up the number of warplane incursions around the island while diplomatically isolating it.

Taiwan has increased defence spending — allotting a record $19 billion for 2024 — to acquire military equipment, particularly from its key ally the United States, but its quest to obtain a submarine has faced obstacles.

President Tsai Ing-wen — strongly opposed by Beijing for her refusal to accept China’s authority over the island…