The Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of China Taiwan stated that they will establish an Innovation Technology Task Force, following the example of the US Defense Innovation Unit, with Defense Minister Gu Li-hsiung himself supervising. The goal is to invest in new technologies such as drones and ships to ensure Taiwan’s asymmetric advantage in defending the Taiwan Strait.
Former Vice President-elect Hsiao Mei-chin, in her capacity as Taiwan’s Vice President-elect, delivered a pre-recorded speech on May 2 at the “Hill & Valley Forum,” advocating for Taiwan’s inclusion in the US-proposed “Supply Security Arrangement Agreement” to join defense industry cooperation with the US and allies.
In her 7-minute pre-recorded speech, Hsiao Mei-chin mentioned that the US established the Defense Innovation Unit in 2015 to apply cutting-edge technology to the military in a faster and more cost-effective manner. She stated that Taiwan is learning from this approach and will establish a similar mechanism. After each country determines its policy direction, there is a need to address the challenges faced in defense industry production capacity and scale.
Defense Minister Gu Li-hsiung recently confirmed that Vice President-elect Hsiao Mei-chin’s previous proposal in the US about the establishment of an Innovation Technology Task Force under the integrated evaluation department. He will personally supervise it to efficiently integrate the resources and capabilities of the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology and private sector R&D innovative units.
Gu Li-hsiung emphasized the importance of having one’s production line, as demonstrated by the Russia-Ukraine conflict, where high losses can occur once a war breaks out. The technology projects that the Ministry of National Defense will invest in, such as new drones and ships, are crucial for ensuring Taiwan’s advantage in asymmetrical defense operations in the Taiwan Strait.
Regarding the allocation of budgets for subsequent shipbuilding plans for domestic submarine construction, Gu Li-hsiung mentioned that the current focus is on completing the harbor acceptance test (HAT) phase of the prototype ship Hai Kung, followed by sea acceptance tests (SAT). Safety remains the top priority. As for his priorities as Defense Minister, Gu Li-hsiung mentioned enhancing asymmetric warfare capabilities, joint operations, strengthening the resilience of the entire society’s defense, and reforming reserve forces.
Previously, the Washington Post reported that former US President Trump stated at a fundraising event that if the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) invaded Taiwan during his tenure, he would bomb Beijing in response. In response, the CCP denounced Trump’s remarks as “heinous insanity.”
On May 31, Gu Li-hsiung pointed out that it is clear to the international community that the CCP is the one instigating intimidation and provocation. He stated, “We are well aware that it is the CCP continuously making provocative and intimidating moves in the Indo-Pacific region and the Taiwan Strait region. If the CCP stops these provocations and intimidations, I believe peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the entire Indo-Pacific region can be maintained.”