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Taiwan has been keen to demonstrate its resolve to defend itself
should China, which claims the democratically governed island as
its own territory, ever attack. Those fears have become more
pronounced over the past two years or so as Beijing steps up
military activities near Taiwan.
While Taiwan relies on the United States for many of its
weapons, like fighter jets, President Tsai Ing-wen has been
pushing for a greater emphasis on Taiwanese-designed and made
armaments, the most high profile of which is new submarines.
The eight-wheeled CM-34, which entered service in 2019, is armed
with the Mk44 Bushmaster 30mm chain gun, made by Northrop
Grumman and with an effective firing range of 3 km (1.9 miles).
It is designed to be highly mobile, operating in all weathers.
Facility chief Wang Wen-hung told reporters the plant in Jiji
can produce six vehicles a month, and it has already delivered
173 of them to the military out of a total order for 305.
It is named after Taiwan's clouded leopard. Though now believed
to be extinct, the animal is revered by some of Taiwan's
indigenous people who consider it sacred.
The development of the vehicle has not been without problems.
Last year, several senior executives from supplier companies
were jailed for fraud over procuring substandard parts,
including some from China, for an earlier model, the CM-32.
(Reporting by Ann Wang; Writing by Ben Blanchard; Editing by
Robert Birsel)
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