Taiwan’s drone exports surged nearly 750 percent in the first half of this year, with Poland emerging as the largest buyer, as European nations increased orders in response to the EU’s growing emphasis on defense and cybersecurity, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA, 外貿協會) said.
Taiwan exported US$11.89 million of drones in the first half of the year, up 749 percent from a year earlier, with Poland purchasing more than 54 percent of the total at US$6.48 million, according to Customs administration data.
The US followed as the second-largest buyer, importing US$1.55 million of drones, a 209 percent increase from the previous year, while Germany ranked third with purchases of US$1.46 million, a 258-fold increase from a year earlier.
Photo: Ritchie B. Tongo, EPA-EFE
The Czech Republic, which began importing Taiwan-made drones earlier this year, ranked fourth with US$1.04 million in purchases, followed closely by Hong Kong, which imported US$1 million of drones, a 36.9 percent rise from last year.
Together, the top five buyers accounted for about 97 percent of Taiwan’s total drone exports during the six-month period, the data showed.
TAITRA, a government-backed trade promotion group, said that as geopolitical tensions rise, European countries are increasingly turning to non-Chinese suppliers to strengthen defense and cybersecurity, develop key components and establish a “non-red” supply chain.
In the wake of the escalating Ukraine-Russia conflict and rising tensions in the Middle East, the EU has increasingly turned its focus to Taiwan-made drones, attracted by the country’s expertise in information and communications technology and proven manufacturing capabilities, the alliance said.
Taiwan’s strong democratic values have also appealed to like-minded buyers in Europe, it added.
As demand rises from Europe, drones are being used for military applications, including border security, homeland monitoring and anti-drone defense, while the private sector adopts them for agriculture, infrastructure inspections and urban surveillance, TAITRA said.
European governments and companies are seeking reliable drone suppliers, and Taiwan has seized the opportunity to enter the market, it said.
The Taiwan Excellence Drone International Business Opportunities Alliance (TEDIBOA) was established in September last year, with more than 120 members specializing in areas such as drone system integration and critical component development.
The alliance has helped coordinate members’ efforts to promote their products internationally. While Chinese drones are cost-effective, an industry source said that the increasing demand for secure, non-Chinese supply chains has enabled Taiwanese suppliers to make inroads in European and US markets.
TEDIBOA members specialize in drone assembly, module and battery development, and ground equipment, the source said.
Through vertical and horizontal integration, Taiwanese manufacturers can quickly meet client needs, they said.
Taiwan is projected to lose a working-age population of about 6.67 million people in two waves of retirement in the coming years, as the nation confronts accelerating demographic decline and a shortage of younger workers to take their place, the Ministry of the Interior said. Taiwan experienced its largest baby boom between 1958 and 1966, when the population grew by 3.78 million, followed by a second surge of 2.89 million between 1976 and 1982, ministry data showed. In 2023, the first of those baby boom generations — those born in the late 1950s and early 1960s — began to enter retirement, triggering
One of two tropical depressions that formed off Taiwan yesterday morning could turn into a moderate typhoon by the weekend, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Tropical Depression No. 21 formed at 8am about 1,850km off the southeast coast, CWA forecaster Lee Meng-hsuan (李孟軒) said. The weather system is expected to move northwest as it builds momentum, possibly intensifying this weekend into a typhoon, which would be called Mitag, Lee said. The radius of the storm is expected to reach almost 200km, she said. It is forecast to approach the southeast of Taiwan on Monday next week and pass through the Bashi Channel
NO CHANGE: The TRA makes clear that the US does not consider the status of Taiwan to have been determined by WWII-era documents, a former AIT deputy director said The American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) comments that World War-II era documents do not determine Taiwan’s political status accurately conveyed the US’ stance, the US Department of State said. An AIT spokesperson on Saturday said that a Chinese official mischaracterized World War II-era documents as stating that Taiwan was ceded to the China. The remarks from the US’ de facto embassy in Taiwan drew criticism from the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, whose director said the comments put Taiwan in danger. The Chinese-language United Daily News yesterday reported that a US State Department spokesperson confirmed the AIT’s position. They added that the US would continue to
The number of Chinese spouses applying for dependent residency as well as long-term residency in Taiwan has decreased, the Mainland Affairs Council said yesterday, adding that the reduction of Chinese spouses staying or living in Taiwan is only one facet reflecting the general decrease in the number of people willing to get married in Taiwan. The number of Chinese spouses applying for dependent residency last year was 7,123, down by 2,931, or 29.15 percent, from the previous year. The same census showed that the number of Chinese spouses applying for long-term residency and receiving approval last year stood at 2,973, down 1,520,
RSS