Taiwan has made a formal request for either buying submarines or getting submarine technology to build their own submarines. Taiwan has in fact been asking for submarines from the United States for close to ten years. Why? Submarines are key to preventing any naval blockade that China could initiate against Taiwan. China has between 65 to 70 diesel and nuclear powered submarines (they might have more than that), and the second largest navy in the world only after that of the United States. It is estimated that China could by the year 2020 have more than enough naval craft to ensure a successful naval blockade of Taiwan and eventually take the island by choking off its commerce and communications with the rest of the world. At present, Taiwan only has four submarines, and a couple of those date back to World War Two.

This is a very sad state of affairs for not only Taiwan but the rest of Asia. If China can take over Taiwan, then it can use Taiwan as a major military outpost to threaten Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, and take permanent control of the whole South China Sea. If China takes the whole of the South China Sea, it can then threaten to take over all of the islands in the area and threaten Vietnam as well. Having completed this, Chinese naval forces can then project themselves in waters right next to Hawaii. And the key to all this is to take Taiwan. The government in Taiwan is asking for the technology to build four to eight new submarines to foil what could become a successful military blockade of the island. For some reason the U.S. government and President Barack Obama are dragging their feet on this. The Taiwan government is NOT asking for U.S. troops on the ground, but the means to be able to defend Taiwan from China. If Taiwan should fall, then our Asian allies and even use could face the might of China”s military.

Is this what we as a country and people want? Besides, Taiwan is a multi-party democracy. We as a people and nation have far more in common with Taiwan than with China—where its people cannot decide on who to elect. The U.S. government fears that whatever technology we give to Taiwan will end up in the hands of China. From what I see, this will not happen because Taiwan like this country does not want to see China with this technology used against it. Finally, Taiwan wants to preserve its sovereignty, and four to eight submarines is what Taiwan hopes to either get or build to ensure its independence. Why will America not help? We have a stake in this too! Giving Taiwan the military tools to fight will make sure we do not have to face the wrath of China’s military alone. In my view we should not only be giving Taiwan the technology to build their own submarines but even sell American-made submarines to fight China. We should be giving Taiwan the ability to have ten to twenty submarines for its to stand up against China. Submarines are not the only things we should be giving to Taiwan—we should include tons of small arms and the most advanced fighter aircraft. Like Israel, the United States will be able to get bang for the money it spends to keep Taiwan alive and free. China taking control of Taiwan is too terrible to think about, and a major danger to the national security of the United States.