The Republic of China Navy (ROCN; ), also called the ROC Navy and colloquially the Taiwan Navy, is the maritime branch of the Republic of China Armed Forces (ROCAF).
The service was formerly commonly just called the Chinese Navy during World War II and prior to the ROC's retreat from the mainland. While still sometimes used especially in domestic circles, it is now not as often used internationally due to the current ambiguous political status of Taiwan and to avoid confusion with the People's Liberation Army Navy of the People's Republic of China (PRC).
Today, the ROC Navy's primary mission is to defend the ROC's remaining territories and the sea lanes under its jurisdiction against any possible blockades, attacks, or invasion. Operations include maritime patrols in the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters, as well as readiness for counter-strike and counter-invasion operations during wartime. The Republic of China Marine Corps (ROCMC) also functions as a branch of the Navy.
The ship prefix for ROCN combatants is ROCS (Republic of China Ship); an older usage is CNS (Chinese Navy Ship).
Organization
Republic of China Navy Command Headquarters
The Navy CHQs () is subordinate to the General Staff, the Minister of Defense, and the ROC President. Internal units: Personnel, Combat Readiness & Training, Logistics, Planning, Combat Systems, General Affairs, Comptroller, Inspector General, Political Warfare. Naval Fleets Command () 124th Fleet: Zuoying District, Kaohsiung City 131st Fleet: Keelung City, Taiwan 146th Fleet: Magong City, Penghu County, Taiwan Amphibious Fleet (151st Fleet), Zuoying District, Kaohsiung City 168th Fleet: Suao, Yilan County, Taiwan 192nd Fleet (Navy Minesweeper Fleet): Zuoying District, Kaohsiung City 256th Submarine Squadron: Zuoying District, Kaohsiung City 261st Squadron Hai Chiao(Sea Dragon) PGMG Guided Missile Boat/Craft Group () 1st Hai Chiao Guided Missile Boat/Craft Squadron of 10 at Suao naval base 2nd Hai Chiao Guided Missile Boat/Craft Squadron of 10 Kuang Hua VI-class missile boat 3rd Hai Chiao Guided Missile Boat/Craft Squadron of 10 Hai Ou-class missile boat (Dvora class) 4th Hai Chiao Guided Missile Boat/Craft Squadron of 10 Hai Ou-class missile boat (Dvora class) 5th Hai Chiao Guided Missile Boat/Craft Squadron of 11 Kuang Hua VI-class missile boat Hai Feng Shore Based Anti-ship Missile Group (), operates 6 batteries of fixed/mobile HF-2 anti-ship missiles. 7th Hai Feng Shore Based Anti-ship Missile Squadron (), Haulien, Eastern Taiwan. Aviation Command (operates from Pingtung, Tsoying, and Hualien AB) Naval Aviation, at Pingtung, will receive 12 P-3C 2013/2014. 1st ASW Aviation Group 133rd Squadron: S-2T, at Pingtung. 134th Squadron: S-2T, at Pingtung. 2nd ASW Aviation Group 701st Helicopter Squadron (Light), S-70C(M)-1, at Hualien. 702nd Helicopter Squadron (Light), S-70C(M)-2, at Tsoying. 501st Helicopter Squadron (Light), 500MD ASW, at Tsoying. Maintenance Group 1st Maintenance Squadron (Pingtung) 2nd Maintenance Squadron (Tsoying) 3rd Maintenance Squadron (Hualien) Marine Corps Command () Education, Training and Doctrine Command () Logistics Command () Naval Academy, Hydrographic & Oceanographic Bureau, Shipbuilding Development Center, Communication Systems, General Service.
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History
1912–1949
The precursor to the modern ROC Navy was established as the Ministry of the Navy in the Provisional Government of the Republic of China in 1911 following the overthrow of the Qing dynasty. Liu Guanxiong, a former Qing dynasty admiral, became the first Minister of Navy of the Republic of China. During the period of warlordism that scared China in the 1920s and 1930s the ROCN remained loyal to the Kuomintang government of Sun Yat-sen instead of the warlord government in Beijing which fell to the nationalist government in the 1928 northern campaign and between the civil war with the Communist Party and 1937 Japanese invasion of Northeast China. During that time and throughout World War II, the ROCN concentrated mainly on riverine warfare as the poorly equipped ROCN was not a match to Imperial Japanese Navy over ocean or coast.
Following World War II, a number of Japanese destroyers and decommissioned U.S. ships were transferred to the ROC Navy. During the Chinese Civil War, the ROCN was involved in the protection of supply convoys and the withdrawal of the ROC Government and over 1 million refugees to Taiwan in 1949. The subsequent reorganization and reestablishment of the Navy after evacuation to Taiwan is referenced in the lyrics of the post 1949 ROC Navy Song "The New Navy" ().