Taiwan Unveils 1st Indigenous Submarine As China Tensions Grow

The submarine will be delivered to Taiwan’s navy after completing harbor and sea acceptance tests.

Taiwan's first locally built submarine "Narwhal" is seen during an unveiling ceremony at the CSBC Corp. shipbuilding company in Kaohsiung on Sept. 28, 2023. Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images

Taiwan on Thursday unveiled its first domestically-built submarine as the self-ruling island seeks to bolster its military deterrent in the face of increasing Chinese threats.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen presided over the launch ceremony of the submarine “Narwhal”—which is also referred to as “Hai Kun” in Taiwan—in the southern city of Kaohsiung on Sept. 28.