President Ma Ying-jeou says that Taiwan does not need nuclear submarines, because they are not suitable for use in the nation’s territorial waters. He was speaking on Sunday during a visit to Taiwan’s largest propeller manufacturer. The president was joined by Premier Mao Chi-kuo and Economics Minister John Deng on the trip to the factory in the southern county of Pingtung.
President Ma said that instead of nuclear submarines, Taiwan has decided to build diesel-electric submarines. He said that the weapons systems still need to be imported from overseas.
Ma said that the coast guard is continuing to expand its fleet of submarines, and that by the time he leaves office next year, it is likely to have 41 vessels.
When asked about the problem of brain drain in the domestic shipbuilding industry, Ma called on the economics and labor ministries to work with shipbuilders to solve the problem.