Taiwan commissioned its third Chiayi-class Coast Guard cutter, CG5003 Yunlin (雲林), on June 15.
The commissioning ceremony took place under the blazing sun in Kaohsiung, to the backdrop of the new cruise ship terminal and the iconic 85 Sky Tower. President Lai Ching-te (賴清德), Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) and Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) were all in attendance. Many Coast Guard cutters lined the wharves of Taiwan’s largest port, but there was something a little different about the Yunlin. It looked sleek, dangerous and massive. Unlike some of its smaller counterparts, its beautiful lines don’t sacrifice form for function.
The Chiayi class is the latest and largest class of cutter in the Taiwanese Coast Guard, at around 5,000 tons. They are armed with Chen Hai 2.75-inch rockets, 20mm guns and three water cannon. The ships have a range of 10,000 nautical miles and can operate in conditions of up to 10 on the Beaufort scale, which means storm force winds. The first in class, the Chiayi (嘉義), was commissioned in 2021. Four have been built in total.
In a statement released to the media, President Lai said: “Today’s newly built 4,000-ton [sic] cruiser Yunlin is the result of national shipbuilding. It is also a very important national defense policy of former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文). It symbolizes Taiwan’s determination to protect democracy to the world.” As Domino Theory reported last week, Taiwan is engaged in a long-term project initiated by former president Tsai to support domestic shipbuilding, and the Chiayi class is at the head 141 new ships ordered for the force.
In addition to law enforcement and national security, the Yunlin can support humanitarian missions. It has a well-equipped hospital, and a landing pad for helicopters from the navy or the National Airborne Service Corps. Fast speed boats hang from derricks on its sides, allowing it to aid fishermen in distress as well as intercept potential smugglers.
The Chiayi class is significantly larger than other ships in Taiwan’s coast guard. Sometimes, size really matters. As has been seen in the case of China and the Philippines around the Second Thomas Shoal, countries may use the tactic of ramming or barging with coast guard ships instead of firing guns, in order to avoid accusations they are escalating. In this scenario, if your ship is much smaller than your adversary’s, then physical contact can be very dangerous, leading to damage or even sinking. The Chinese Coast Guard operates two 10,000-ton behemoths, possibly for this reason. Last week, NHK reported that the Japanese Coast Guard is considering a ship with a displacement of 30,000 tons!
Earlier this week, the Yunlin’s sister ship the Hsinchu (新竹) caused something of a stir when it pulled into Honolulu, Hawaii. Because of Taiwan’s contested international status, its navy and Coast Guard ships do not usually visit American ports. The Liberty Times reported that a previous visit to Hawaii was made in 2011. It would certainly be interesting if this was part of the new normal.
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