European countries are providing help for Taiwan's indigenous submarine project, the island's Defense Ministry said, in a rare admission that the sensitive program is not getting assistance solely from the United States.

Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has worked for years to revamp its submarine force, some of which dates back to World War II. It is no match for China's fleet, which includes vessels capable of launching nuclear weapons.

The U.S. government in 2018 gave the green light for U.S. manufacturers to participate in the program, a move widely seen as helping Taiwan secure major components, though it is unclear which U.S. companies are involved.