TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan and the US should build secure drone supply chains and expand production across democratic countries, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said Friday.
Speaking during a meeting with a bipartisan US congressional delegation led by House East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee Chair Young Kim, Lai said drones have become essential to modern defense, creating greater demand for reliable suppliers.
Taiwan’s semiconductor, communications technology, and precision manufacturing industries give it a strong base for developing the drone sector, Lai said. He added that Taiwan could become a trusted supplier for democratic partners.
The government has proposed a special budget to purchase unmanned systems. It is also moving from drone research and testing to mass production to meet defense needs.
Lai said the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology recently passed a cybersecurity assessment required for participation in the US defense supply chain. He said the result showed that Taiwan could meet international standards and protect sensitive technology.
Closer Taiwan-US cooperation would help both sides respond more quickly to military and commercial demand, Lai said. It would also strengthen research and production capacity among democratic countries.
Lai said China continues to increase military pressure on Taiwan and conduct operations below the level of open conflict. He said Taiwan would neither provoke conflict nor back down and would continue working to preserve peace across the Taiwan Strait.
He also pledged to increase Taiwan’s defense budget and strengthen civil defense. Taiwan would deepen cooperation with democratic partners to deter aggression and respond to security threats, he said.
