經濟學人世界新聞簡訊 - 2023/9/24

台灣首艘國造潛艦即將在高雄亮相

台灣的首艘國造潛艦預計將於近期在南部城市高雄展出。這艘潛艇耗資約16億美元，將最終加入這個自治島微小的潛艇艦隊，該艦隊目前包括兩艘老舊的荷蘭製造潛艇（1980年代採購）和兩艘美國二戰時期潛艇（用於訓練）。

台灣無法購買現代化的外國潛艇。歐洲國家擔心會因此激怒中國。而美國雖然願意出售其最新的武器，但現在只生產核動力潛艇，因此缺乏製造政治上不那麼有爭議的柴電潛艇的基礎設施，而柴電潛艇是台灣的首選。

台灣的國內製造計劃旨在通過生產8艘柴電潛艇來填補這一空白，該國希望這能使中國的封鎖或入侵變得更加複雜，並為潛在的美國干預爭取時間。至少，這一努力將向台灣的朋友們表明，台灣致力於自衛。

Taiwan is soon expected to display its first locally made submarine in the southern city of Kaohsiung. At a cost of roughly $1.6bn, the vessel will eventually join the self-governing island’s tiny submarine fleet, which consists of two ageing Dutch-made boats acquired in the 1980s, and a pair of American subs from the second world war (used for training purposes).

Taiwan cannot buy modern foreign vessels. European countries fear antagonising China. And America, which is willing to sell its latest arms, now operates nuclear subs, so lacks the infrastructure to make the politically less controversial diesel-electric submarines that Taiwan prefers.

Taiwan’s domestic manufacturing scheme aims to fill the gap by producing eight diesel-electric submarines, which it hopes could complicate a Chinese blockade or invasion, and buy time for a potential American intervention. At the very least, the effort will reassure Taiwan’s friends that the island is committed to defending itself.

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

_{Sources: https://www.economist.com/the-world-in-brief
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