The program lead of Taiwan’s first indigenously-built submarine has accused a losing bidder of forwarding classified program information to China.
Admiral Huang Shu-Kuang, who also served as the Chief of the General Staff of the Taiwanese Armed Forces, aired his accusations during a media interview last week, but he did not provide other details or names.
He stated that some lawmakers had also made it difficult for the program to procure critical components and subsystems.
The island nation’s Supreme Prosecutors Office said it will launch an investigation “as soon as possible” considering the national security implications of the issue.
It also claimed that Huang’s allegations have attracted “great attention” from the public, especially since the submarine has been recently unveiled.
If true, the alleged leaked information could be used by Beijing to reverse-engineer the underwater vehicle or identify weak spots to build effective countermeasures.
About the Submarine Program
On September 28, Taiwan unveiled its first diesel-electric attack submarine “Hai Kun” designed to improve the country’s defense and deterrence against the Chinese Navy.
The self-ruled nation is under constant threat from the Asian military superpower, which claims Taipei as part of its territories.
Despite not releasing specifications, several reports said the vehicle is 70 meters (230 feet) long and has a displacement of 2,500 tons.
It also drew on expertise and technologies from several countries, although 40 percent of its components are local.
Taiwan aims to build seven more submarines, with the Hai Kun the first to be launched in 2025.
BREAKING: Taiwan unveils its first-ever indigenous submarine. It’s part of a fleet of 8 vessels that will be made domestically. pic.twitter.com/tDRSp9qKyK
— TaiwanPlus News (@taiwanplusnews) September 28, 2023
