China says Taiwanese first domestic-made submarine is antagonistic

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen unveiled the island’s first domestically-made submarine Thursday at the southern port of Kaohsiung. Tsai christened the bow with a bottle of champagne. The Narwhal is meant to go to sea by 2025, and Tsai called the project “a new milestone” for Taiwan’s defense and independence. Taiwan already has two submarines bought from the Netherlands in the 1980s and plans to build seven others after the Narwhal.

Why does China say the sub is aggressive? A spokesman for China’s foreign ministry said Taiwan ramping up its military will “only undermine the peace and stability” within the region. Taiwan was established in 1949 when the Republic of China government leaders, after losing a civil war to the Chinese Communist Party, retreated to the island. China views the island as a Chinese territory. The Chinese military regularly runs aerial and live-fire drills near Taiwan as an intimidation tactic.

Dig deeper: Read June Cheng’s report in WORLD Magazine on the history of tension between Taiwan and China.