US to invest big on nuclear submarines to counter threats against Taiwan: Report

The United States and its allies in the Indo-Pacific are investing to build more nuclear-powered submarines to prevent a potential attack on Taiwan from China. According to Express, the United States, South Korea, Japan, and Australia are pouring in big amounts to add more submarines to their fleet in order to deter China from attacking Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own territory. China has repeatedly threatened Taiwan with military action and often makes incursions into the island nation’s air space. 

US and allies spend big

According to the report, Washington is investing about $22 billion to build a new class of submarines to operate in the South China Sea, while Tokyo and Seoul have started the building programme of their vessels, with the Japanese submarines already in production. Australia is reportedly planning to add 12 more vessels to its fleet of six submarines. Taiwan is also investing $16 billion to build at least eight submarines for its own Naval forces, which currently have four in its fleet. 

As per experts, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) believes to conduct a successful military operation against Taiwan it needs control over the sea and air space in the south of China. Meanwhile, the US and its allies want to counter China’s strategy by deploying more submarines in the South China Sea. A top US military commander Philip Davidson recently said that Taiwan could be the first potential target of Chinese military aggression in the next five to 10 years. He also added that Beijing's threats toward Taiwan could manifest in the next six years as China seeks to supplant the US leadership role in the international order.

Chinese military incursions across the median-line dividing China and Taiwan have increased in the past couple of years. Experts see China's violation of the median line as a way to coerce Taiwan into towing Beijing's line. However, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, who came into power in 2016 and has since become a massive thorn for China, is calling for indigenous development of the country's military to counter threats from the Communist regime in the north.