Amid the growing threat of a Chinese invasion, Taiwan’s navy has taken delivery of its largest locally built warship — an amphibious multimission vessel named the Yu Shan — in a move highlighting Taipei’s push to strengthen its domestic defense industry and make the island more self-reliant.
Constructed by state-backed shipbuilder CSBC, the 153-meter-long ship will replace the navy’s only in-service amphibious transport dock — the Hsu Hai, which was transferred to Taiwan in 1999, having first entered service with the U.S. Navy in 1971.
Named after Taiwan’s highest mountain, the 10,600-ton Yu Shan — the first of four planned for the class — is meant to transport troops and supplies to reinforce the defense of Taiwan’s outlying islands. China, which regards Taiwan as a breakaway province to be unified with the mainland, has been increasing both the frequency and intensity of amphibious training exercises for a potential invasion.