TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Defense officials and related industry representatives from the U.S. and Taiwan will be meeting virtually at an annual conference on Monday (Oct. 5) in view of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“While we can’t meet in person this year, we look forward to welcoming the bilateral defense community to the 2020 Virtual U.S.-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference,” said the U.S.-Taiwan Business Council via Facebook. A host of American and Taiwanese officials, industry executives, and academics will join the discussions over the next two days, the council said.

The conference will touch upon U.S. defense cooperation with Taiwan, the defense procurement process, and Taiwan’s defense and national security needs, according to the council, which emphasized that the event will remain “off-record” to ensure valuable interactions.

“We also hope to provide opportunities to connect with others working on Taiwan defense and national security issues,” it said.

Initiated in 2002, the defense industry conference has been held annually in the U.S., with the Taiwanese government sending envoys, including defense ministers, to take part in the event. Vice Defense Minister Chang Guan-chung (張冠群) will attend Monday evening on behalf of the Taiwanese government, and he will be joined by Taiwanese party leaders, lawmakers, and industry representatives, according to CNA.