Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) today vowed to implement strict controls once indigenous drones enter mass production, following reports that the Rui Yuan II was found to contain China-made components.
Chinese-language media reported that the indigenous Rui Yuan II uncrewed aerial vehicle, designed by the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology, was found to contain Chinese-made communication modules and SD cards during an import inspection.
Military drones should be entirely free from Chinese components in the “red supply chain,” and stricter controls would be implemented once the Rui Yuan II drones enter mass production, Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) told lawmakers.
Screen grab from an institute YouTube video
The drone has not yet entered mass production and is still in the research-and-development stage, institute president Lee Shih-chiang (李世強) said.
The institute has already enforced contract provisions requiring the manufacturer to replace the Chinese-made components with those from Taiwan’s own supply chain, he said.
The institute imports many components from overseas, and contracts contain stipulations on source countries, although it is not feasible for on-site manufacturing audits to be conducted abroad, he added.
Therefore, sourcing issues often arise in the latter stages of product development after import, he said.
The institute would assist the manufacturer in finding alternative components and establishing non-red supply chains that would ensure no products contain Chinese-made elements, he added.
The military also has guidelines stating that products containing components from Chinese supply chains cannot be used in key weapons and equipment, Koo said.
This is enforced using factory inspections and country-of-origin certificates at the start of the development process, as well as conducting comprehensive final inspections, he added.
The military ranks Chinese-manufactured items using a five-tier classification system, with no regulations on whether non-critical items such as tables are made in China, Koo said.
However, Chinese-made components with transmission capabilities are strictly prohibited, he added.
Additional reporting by CNA
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