The United States Department of Defense officials pointed out that Taiwan will participate in the establishment of the Indo-Pacific Region Resilient Partnerships. Regarding Taiwan’s participation in the defense supply chain, Raymond Greene, Director of the American Institute in Taiwan, expressed expectations for mutual cooperation between the U.S. and Taiwan in unmanned aerial systems, both for military and commercial purposes. The combination of U.S. research and development capabilities with Taiwan’s manufacturing capabilities could lead to industry leadership in development.
Chief Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, Jedidiah Royal, attended the “U.S.-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference” in Pennsylvania, emphasizing the establishment of Indo-Pacific Region Resilient Partnerships with allies in the Indo-Pacific and European regions. Taiwan’s participation is expected to play a significant role.
Greene mentioned in a recent interview with the Central News Agency that the U.S. looks forward to cooperation in traditional defense and military sectors with Taiwan, as well as military-commercial partnerships or dual-use military cooperation. He emphasized the excitement surrounding advancements in technologies like unmanned drones, which not only enhance defense capabilities but also revolutionize disaster response, environmental monitoring, and firefighting assistance.
Warning against over-reliance on a single country for unmanned aerial systems production, Greene highlighted that 90% of commercial drones worldwide are manufactured in China. Diversifying the drone supply chain and establishing new secure supply chains are crucial for global security.
Greene stressed that the U.S. and Taiwan are well-suited for collaboration in the drone industry for two main reasons. Firstly, the U.S. excels in research and development, while Taiwan stands out in drone technology and manufacturing capabilities. This was evident as 26 U.S. drone companies visited Taiwan this week, exploring opportunities in both public and private sectors.
Greene also mentioned that unmanned drones require artificial intelligence (AI) technology for remote control, highlighting the complementary nature of the semiconductor industries in the U.S. and Taiwan. This synergy presents an opportunity for both countries to lead the overall industry development and become global pioneers. Taiwan’s impressive performance in information security for drones was also acknowledged.
Discussing U.S.-Taiwan relations, Greene revealed a focus on resilience, security, and connectivity. Under the resilience pillar, the U.S. aims to help Taiwan transform its natural disaster response capabilities into capacities to address “man-made threats.”
These “man-made threats” encompass cybersecurity, misinformation, geopolitical challenges, among others. President Lai Ching-Te has established a National Resilience Committee, a move fully supported by the AIT.
Greene commended Taiwan’s efforts in resilience, mentioning visits to disaster response centers and emergency drills in New Taipei City and Chiayi. He expressed admiration and deep impressions of Taiwan’s governmental, local, non-governmental, and civil society work in resilience.
Regarding connectivity, Greene emphasized the U.S.’ clear stance in wanting Taiwan to pragmatically engage in international affairs, including UN matters. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, global recognition of Taiwan’s expertise and contributions to the world has increased significantly.
Continuing cooperation with partners, the U.S. aims to help Taiwan substantially engage with more international organizations and enhance its global interactions through avenues like the Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF), which facilitates talent sharing worldwide.
Established in 2015, the GCTF includes Taiwan, the U.S., Japan, Australia, and Canada, which joined this year. The joint committee meeting of the GCTF was held in Taipei on the 25th, with the British Office in Taiwan invited to participate as an observer.
Additionally, the U.S. Department of Commerce sent a delegation titled the “U.S. Unmanned Aerial Systems Industry Representative Mission” to Taiwan from September 22nd to 25th. The delegation matched drone system and counter-drone system suppliers and participated in relevant forums for exchanging ideas.
(Source: Central News Agency)