 | ■ National
Path to improved Taiwan's naval defense
台灣海軍防衛能力的改善之路
Ma reiterates push for local submarine program
馬總統重申推動「國艦國造」的決心 |
| President Ma Ying-jeou reiterated Taiwan's determination to push ahead with its domestic submarine program to modernize its fleet and bolster the country's defense capabilities. "We aim to acquire a new generation of submarines to safeguard our coastal frontier," Ma said at a ceremony in Kaohsiung on March 31. The ceremony commenced the official putting into service of two military vessels — Taiwan's first home-grown stealth missile corvette and a new supply ship. "Submarines are the most significant weapon for a country in building naval defense capabilities. The military absolutely needs to acquire (new) submarines," he said. | 馬英九總統重申，台灣有決心推動本土海軍艦隊的現代化，進而強化國家的防禦能力。馬總統三月卅一日於高雄左營的成軍典禮上表示：「我們的目標，是要以新一代的潛艦來保衛我們的海防前線。」這場典禮是兩艘軍艦的正式成軍典禮，包括台灣第一艘國造、可裝置飛彈及可匿蹤船身的沱江艦，以及可補給油彈的磐石艦。馬總統表示：「潛艦是一個國家在建立海防能力上最重要的武器，國軍勢必取得新的潛艦。」 |
| Reiterating Taiwan's effort to develop its own home-grown submarine program, Ma said "we have the determination and we are definitely confident that we will achieve the goal of building submarines locally." The March 31 ceremony was held at the Navy's Zuoying Base in Kaohsiung, the largest naval base in Taiwan. In addition to the two new ships — the Tuo Jiang and Pan Shi — other locally made military boats and vessels used by Taiwan's Coast Guard were docked at the naval base to showcase the country's shipbuilding capabilities. | 馬總統在重申努力發展自造潛艦的計畫時表示：「我們有決心，我們也有信心可以達成潛艦的『國艦國造』。」三月卅一日的潛艦成軍典禮在海軍最大的高雄左營基地舉行。除了「沱江」和「磐石」兩艘新潛艦之外，海防單位所使用的其他國造快艇和船艦也停泊在海軍基地，以展示國家的造船實力。 |
| Pointing to an empty space in the harbor, Ma said "that area is being saved for the country's locally made submarines in the future." Facing challenges to procure submarines and other military hardware from abroad because of China's objections, Taiwan has taken the initiative to build military vessels on its own, which the president said has helped upgrade the country's domestic shipbuilding capabilities and also created job opportunities. | 馬總統在指著碼頭一處空船席時表示：「這就是要留給未來『國造潛艦』的席位。」台灣在面對因為中國阻撓而難以從國外取得潛艦及其他軍事設備的挑戰之際，已經採取主動自行建造軍艦。馬總統表示，這有助於提升國家的造船實力，並且創造許多工作機會。 |
| Over the past seven years, the government has put NT$56 billion into building all kinds of vessels, Ma said. To build new submarines to replace Taiwan's aging vessels, it is believed that Taiwan would need assistance on design and technology from overseas. | 馬總統說，政府在過去七年來已經投入新台幣五百六十億元進行各式船艦的建造計畫。為了建造新船艦以取代舊式船艦，一般認為台灣需要尋求國外在船艦設計及建造技術上的協助。 |
| Meanwhile, the president reiterated the Navy's efforts to protect the country, saying it will also continue to work with the Coast Guard to ensure the safety of Taiwanese fishermen operating in the Taiwan Strait, the East China Sea, the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. | 與此同時，馬總統也重申海軍將努力保衛國家，並說，海軍也會偕同海防單位以確保台灣漁民在台灣海峽、中國東海、中國南海及太平洋上的安全。 |
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