"...Do all third world nations get their subs from germany?..."
Funny that Administration of President Bush wanted to buy some subs from Germany to deliver them over the USA to Taiwan, since the US do not have comparable weapons in their inventory. The production of D/E-submarines was stopped in favor of nuclear powered vessels in the US a long time ago. America is not able to produce them in a short time under sensible expenses either, because D/E-subs are very complex (and expensive) systems. The deal was refused by the German Bundesregierung under Chancellor Schröder, who is not willing to export such advanced weapons to Taiwan. The other competent producers of D/E-submarines in this world, France and Russia, prefer delivering their weapons rather to red China than to the small US-ally Taiwan.
Conclusion: Taiwan will not get the arms to protect its coasts. Maybe because it belongs to the first world nations...
:-))
P.S.
Modern D/E-subs are dangerous and deadly weapons. Even to such an advanced and strong fleet like the US navy. In difference to nuclear powered boats, where the reactor always makes a small but detectable noise, a D/E-sub that is driving under 5 knots is not in danger of being localised anymore. This advantage was compensated with the necessity to reload the batterys of the boat with the diesels during a "snorkeling-time". In this phase it was very easy to find such an submarine. Since the German HDW developed a new fuel-cell propulsion a few years ago, it is possible to dive several weeks without snorkeling. With this drive mechanism the boats are partically under a "cloak of invisibility". Just like any STEALTH-weapon. I think everbody here should know how dangerous this can be.
Japan also designs & builds world class D/Es,but they would taking a huge diplomatic risk hawking those to Taiwan.Other designers include Sweden & Holland,who have hedged their bets on China long ago.
PS-The German fuel cell based AIP appears to be the best around,but Sweden,France & Russia are all offering different AIP systems for their subs,with an average (continous) underwater submerged endurance of 10 days or more.