TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s ruling DPP on Tuesday accused opposition parties of politicizing the country’s fast-growing drone industry.
In a statement, the DPP said recent criticism from the opposition KMT and TPP had unfairly labeled the drone sector as linked to “green cronies” while also targeting related defense budgets in the legislature, per CNA.
DPP Spokesperson Wu Cheng (吳崢) said Taiwan must avoid repeating what he described as the political attacks that damaged the biotechnology industry during controversies surrounding companies including Medigen, OBI Pharma, and MVC during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wu said those disputes followed a pattern of “throwing mud” through political accusations, “choking” industries by freezing budgets and delaying projects, and ultimately slowing or disrupting strategically important industrial development.
Wu said Taiwan’s drone industry is in a key growth phase as countries seek non-Chinese supply chains. He noted that Thunder Tiger recently became the first in Asia to receive US Blue UAS certification and secure orders from the US Department of Defense.
Wu urged opposition parties to stop what he called malicious smears and avoid repeating tactics that he said previously cost Taiwan a crucial window of development.
