Recent unconfirmed reports have surfaced, suggesting a potential incident involving a Chinese nuclear submarine in the Taiwan Strait—a crucial body of water that serves as a geographical boundary between mainland China and Taiwan. These reports have emerged shortly after Beijing initiated large-scale military exercises near Taiwan, an action widely seen as a strong message to both Taipei and Washington.
Numerous sources circulating online have put forward accounts indicating that a Type 093 submarine, commonly referred to as the “Shang-class,” might have been involved in an undisclosed incident within the past few days. Some of these unverified reports have even gone so far as to claim that the entire crew aboard the submarine might have faced fatal consequences.
While Beijing asserts Taiwan as an integral part of its territory, with eventual plans for reunification, Taipei operates as a self-governing entity with a democratic system, actively seeking alignment with Western allies.
As of now, official confirmation regarding the reported submarine incident remains absent, leading experts to exercise caution when discussing this matter. Notably, China’s Defense Ministry omitted any mention of such an event during a recent press briefing, and state-affiliated news agencies have refrained from covering the claims.
Taipei officials have refrained from endorsing the reports. A spokesperson from Taiwan’s Defense Ministry conveyed during a routine press briefing that neither the country’s military nor its government had identified any substantial evidence substantiating the alleged submarine accident.
The veracity of these claims remains in question, prompting naval expert and analyst H I Sutton to emphasize the need for compelling evidence. In a recent post on the platform X (formerly Twitter), Sutton highlighted the lack of convincing information to corroborate the reports.
According to the London-based International Institute of Strategic Studies, China possesses a fleet of six Shang-class nuclear-powered attack submarines. Despite not being the most common type of submarine in the Chinese Navy’s inventory, the Shang-class submarines are regarded as highly potent, as noted by Sutton in 2020.
The emergence of these claims coincides with Beijing’s initiation of comprehensive military exercises near Taiwan, a move that follows months of escalating tensions involving China, Taiwan, and the United States.
While the U.S. adheres to the “One China” policy and refrains from formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, it maintains a strong informal partnership with Taipei. Over recent months, China has conducted a series of military drills in close proximity to Taiwan, including activities in August 2022 during the visit of former U.S. House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taipei. Furthermore, China’s military conducted several days of exercises in early April after Taiwan’s leader, Tsai Ing-wen, met with current House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Beijing’s Eastern Theater Command recently launched air and sea patrols, alongside military exercises involving both the army and navy. The stated objective of these maneuvers is to enhance China’s control over air and sea spaces. This robust display of military presence is being interpreted as a “stern warning” to Taiwanese officials and any foreign entities engaging in provocative actions.
In response to these developments, a spokesperson from the U.S. State Department urged Beijing to cease its multifaceted pressures on Taiwan, encompassing military activities, diplomatic coercion, and economic pressure. The spokesperson advocated for productive dialogues between Beijing and Taipei, conveying this sentiment to the Reuters news agency over the weekend.
In an update posted on the X platform, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry disclosed that it had identified six Chinese aircraft and eight vessels in the vicinity of Taiwan by 6 a.m. local time. The previous day, Taipei had reported the sighting of 15 Chinese aircraft and 10 vessels in the region.
