Sub conducts shallow-water submerged tests‘MILESTONE’: President William Lai said that the trials demonstrated that Taiwan is among the few countries in the world that can build their own submarinesBy Su Yung-yao and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Hai Kun (海鯤) prototype submarine on Friday conducted “shallow-water submerged tests” following its first submerged test a day earlier, which CSBC Corp, Taiwan, the primary contractor of the indigenous defense program, said was successful. “The successful submerged sea trials of the Hai Kun are an important milestone in the navy’s history of autonomous shipbuilding,” President William Lai (賴清德) wrote on social media on Friday. The prototype submarine Hai Kun undergoes a submerged test in Kaohsiung on Friday. The Hai Kun was originally scheduled to complete sea trials by November last year, but the schedule was pushed back as it underwent final adjustments ahead of the submergence tests. With the Hai Kun undergoing submergence tests, a major component of Taiwan’s defense infrastructure is nearing completion.

Source: Taipei Times January 31, 2026 17:14 UTC