The headquarters said it has begun evaluating the
feasibility of building submarines on its own, as the United States
has yet to respond to Taiwan's requests to purchase eight diesel-electric
submarines.
The US government approved the sale of eight diesel-powered
submarines to Taiwan in 2001, but no progress has been made on the
project since then.
Frustrated by the country's inability to procure the
submarines, Taiwan's military has gradually started to consider building
its own with US technological support, the Taipei-based United Daily
News said in a special report last December.