ABSTRACT
The central theme of this chapter is to look at the external environment (i.e. threats, geography, technological possibilities, and political constraints) that the Republic of China Navy (ROCN) faces and to ask whether or not the ROCN’s current modernization program can effectively respond. It is not possible, however, to interpret and understand this question, or make useful practical and reasoned policy proposals only by describing and analyzing the equipment that the ROCN either has recently obtained, or plans to include in its future inventory. The most critical problem of defense planning for a regional medium power such as Taiwan is to determine what is vital and, in more practical terms, decide-under the whole range of relevant circumstances prevailing at the time-what kinds and range of threats indicate what sorts of response.
