Taiwan prosecutors said on Monday (Oct 2) they were investigating allegations that people had tried to interfere with the island’s submarine programme, resulting in details about it being revealed.
Taiwan unveiled its first domestically designed submarine on Thursday, which is an important step in the island’s move to strengthening protection from the Chinese navy.
Huang Shu-kuang, head of the programme, reported some lawmakers had influenced the procurement of critical equipment and that a contractor, who failed to get a tender offer, leaked information to China.
Taiwan, which China considers part of its territories and threatens to take back by force if necessary, has developed a submarine programme intended to be a key part of an ambitious project to modernise the island’s armed forces.
China conducts almost daily military exercises whipping Taiwan to assert its sovereignty claims.
