Tsoying, southern Taiwan, July 21 (CNA) President Chen commissioned four warships—a US-built dock landing ship and three locally built missile patrol vessels--at the Tsoying naval base in southern Taiwan.
President Chen said that the Republic of China must beef up its naval defense capability to maintain peace in the Taiwan Strait. Noting that modern warfare can be very destructive, Chen said deterring war is the ROC soldiers' primary task. "To fulfill this mission, we need to build a strong combat power," he noted.
President Chen stressed that strengthening the navy's combat readiness is mainly aimed at preventing war and maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
"The main mission of our new warships is to protect our country," the president said, adding that the ROC should also strive to upgrade the technology of warship building rather than relying on foreign contractors.
"Upgrading the capability of building our own naval warships has been the government's policy and the navy's goal," he said, adding that the navy would also work with local companies to design and manufacture weaponry and military equipment to help spur the development of the island's fledgling defense industry and save spending.
The Hsuhai, one of the four commissioned warships, was leased from the United States. The 8,500-ton Anchorage-class amphibious landing ship arrived at the Tsoying naval base last month. It was built in 1969 and last used in the Gulf War in 1991.