Taiwan’s First 10,000-Ton Amphibious Dock Landing Ship Launched to Counter Communist China’s Maritime Threat

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen attends the launching and naming ceremony of Taiwan’s first 10,000-ton amphibious dock landing ship. (April 13, 2021)

Taiwan’s first 10,000-ton amphibious dock landing ship was launched and named on Tuesday (April 13) in Kaohsiung, where President Tsai Ing-wen attended the ceremony and delivered a speech.

Tsai said that the “new amphibious dock transport ship” is not only the Navy’s first 10,000-ton amphibious transport ship, but also designed and built according to the needs of national defense warfare training, which can be said to be another important milestone of the national ship and national construction.

The launching ceremony was held at the shipyard of Taiwan International Shipbuilding Corporation (TISC).

Tsai Ing-wen expressed her belief that with the addition of this transport ship, Taiwan’s navy will be able to strengthen its ability to carry out its mission and make Taiwan’s national defense force more solid.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen (center) attends the launching and naming ceremony of Taiwan’s first 10,000-ton amphibious dock landing ship. (April 13, 2021)

The Chinese Communist Party has been harassing Taiwan militarily quite frequently, sending military aircraft to invade Taiwan’s airspace in addition to conducting naval exercises around the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said China sent 25 military aircraft into Taiwan’s southern airspace on Monday (April 12), the largest single-day incursion since Taiwan began reporting such activity last year. The invading aircraft types included, among others, fighter jets, bombers, airborne early warning aircraft and anti-submarine aircraft.

The 10,000-ton amphibious ship landing ship has been named the “Yushan”. Tsai Ing-wen explained that the highest peak in Taiwan, Yushan, was named “in addition to representing heritage and symbolizing the spirit of the Republic of China’s national army, which is not afraid of challenges and overcoming all difficulties”.

The dock landing ship is a warship that can carry amphibious landing ships, amphibious tanks and hovercrafts. The ship’s cabin is semi-drafted to facilitate the entry and exit of amphibious landing ships, amphibious tanks and hovercrafts, just like a dock.

Taiwan has been strengthening its military industry, including building ships and submarines. In her speech, Tsai said the new “Yushan” was designed and built according to the needs of national defense and war training, “which can be said to be another important milestone in the national shipbuilding.

According to the Taiwan Navy, Taiwan’s national ship national construction policy has achieved considerable success over the past year, including the start of construction of submarines, the delivery of fast minelayers, the naming and launching of the Ta Jiang warship, and the naming and launching ceremony of the “Yushan”. The “Yusan” is expected to be delivered in 2022.

On the other hand, the U.S. Department of State issued new guidelines for the U.S. government’s interaction with Taiwan counterparts on April 9.

The State Department did not specify the specifics of the newly released guidelines for U.S.-Taiwan interactions in its statement. However, under the new guidelines, U.S. officials will be able to regularly host Taiwanese officials at federal government buildings, according to the Financial Times disclosure. They will also be allowed to meet with their Taiwanese counterparts at Taiwan’s economic and cultural offices. U.S. officials will also be able to attend events held at Twin Oaks. Twin Oaks in Washington, D.C., was once the official residence of the Republic of China’s ambassador to the United States, but after U.S.-Taiwan diplomatic relations were severed in 1979, it could only be used as a venue for social events.