On Monday, Taiwan's defensive forces reported another sighting of China's military jets entering Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). This was in addition to locating a Chinese nuclear-powered attack submarine the same day. However, they weren't the only foreign visitors spotted that day. It was revealed on Twitter that an American maritime patrol aircraft had also flown across the Taiwan Strait.
The editor-in-chief of Defence International magazine Chen Kuo-ming says that this kind of American aircraft is not commonly spotted in the area, and that it may be due to some sort of drill in the vicinity.
It is Taiwan’s goal to develop its own submarines by 2024, especially in response to China's growing military power and threats. On Monday, it was revealed that Taiwan has already secretly bought military technology and hired foreign experts from at least seven different countries. These include nations like the US, UK, Australia, South Korea, and India. These foreign experts work in fields like engineering and technology, and include former naval officers.
Chen says that the US is the main contractor that Taiwan will work with to build its own submarines, and this aid may also offset some of the pressure from China. He says that since submarine systems are complicated, it's a major asset for Taiwan to receive top quality components from the US.
Still, others worry that China may restrict factories that produce necessary components for the submarines and this may hurt Taiwan's chances of meeting its 2024 target. In the meantime, it seems that working with other countries is Taiwan's best option for staying on track with its military goals.