TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) held a joint ceremony for the handover of the sixth Anping-class patrol vessel, the Chi An, and the 25th 35-ton patrol boat, and a naming ceremony for the seventh Anping-class, the Wan Li, on Monday (May 15) at the CSBC Corporation headquarters in Kaohsiung.
OAC Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) said that the government is implementing a national defense shipbuilding policy and has allocated over NT$42.6 billion (US$1.38 billion) to fully support the plan for more coast guard vessels, per CNA. Over a period of 10 years from 2018 to 2027, 141 new-generation coast guard ships will be built, forming a new fleet to enforce the law in Taiwan's waters, Kuan said.
Half of these ships have already been built, she added.
According to a Coast Guard Administration (CGA) press release, the Anping-class patrol vessel is a modified version of the Navy's Tuo Jiang-class corvette. It can withstand winds of up to nine on the Beaufort scale and has a maximum speed of over 81 kilometers per hour.
It is also equipped with a high-pressure water cannon with a maximum range of 120 meters, a remote-controlled gun turret, and a Chen Hai multi-barrel rocket system.
The vessel features a patented design for an automatic self-righting system, which enables rapid response to duties such as search and rescue and inspection and interdiction of foreign fishing vessels.
The OAC said the Chi An will be assigned to the Eastern Flotilla Sector, serving as the second high-speed vessel responsible for protecting fishing rights within Taiwan’s maritime borders. Meanwhile, the Wan Li will be assigned to the Northern Flotilla Sector and will be responsible for patrol missions in the northern part of Taiwan’s exclusive economic zone.
The new 35-ton patrol vessel, which is highly maneuverable and capable of traveling up to 83 kmh, is equipped with a water cannon with a maximum range of 60 meters. It will be deployed to the Coast Guard’s Third Flotilla, based in Taichung, to bolster law enforcement in the area.
On May 2, the Legislative Yuan approved an amendment that grants the CGA power to use lethal force if it suspects a threat or attack on CGA personnel with dangerous arms, objects, or boats, and if there is no other way to de-escalate the situation.
Final approval for armed action still rests with the CGA director-general, but when communications with headquarters are difficult or in the case of an emergency, the most senior officer on the scene can decide on the use of weapons.
A special task force will also be set up to investigate the use of firearms or cannons during such an incident.
