Producing defense equipment in Taiwan would help counter the “red” supply chain and bolster the defense industries of Taiwan and the US, Deputy Minister of National Defense for Armaments Chung Shu-ming (鍾樹明) said on Monday at a defense conference in the US.
The 24th US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference ran from Sunday to yesterday in Ellicott City, Maryland.
Chung at the conference emphasized the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
Photo: CNA
He called for the US to assist Taiwan in integrating its defense and information systems under its new “T-Dome” initiative, a large-scale project that would establish a comprehensive protection network capable of intercepting Chinese missiles.
The Ministry of National Defense is studying ways to integrate Taiwan’s existing air defense, communications and information management systems, and hopes to receive US assistance to enhance coordination and interoperability, Chung told reporters.
He also urged deeper collaboration in defense industrial supply chains and Indo-Pacific region security cooperation
Taiwan bears the brunt of China’s growing aggression and military pressure as Beijing seeks to expand its regional influence, Chung said.
Comparing China to a spear seeking to pierce the Pacific island chains and expand its maritime power, Chung said the US, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines and Australia together form a shield to defend regional stability.
Taiwan is enhancing its asymmetric warfare and reserve combat capabilities, as well as its defense resilience and “gray zone” responses, while mobilizing civilian production to develop a “non-red” drone supply chain with international partners, he said, adding that a new special resilience budget has raised defense spending to more than 3 percent of GDP.
Producing defense equipment in Taiwan is not only a strategic move, but also an opportunity to upgrade the industry, as it would block risks of the “red” supply chain and ensure the security and technological autonomy of the US and Taiwan defense industries, Chung said.
The US and Taiwan could cooperate more in trade, defense and technology innovation to build a “non-red” supply chain, he said.
Chung also welcomed US efforts to resolve arms-delivery delays, saying that the US has demonstrated goodwill and that the problems “are gradually being resolved,” he said.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) also spoke at the meeting, saying that Taipei plans to present a seven-year, NT$1.3 trillion (US$42.36 billion) special defense budget early next month.
It would focus on four priorities: the T-Dome initiative, asymmetric warfare capabilities, expanded strategic reserves and greater self-sufficiency in domestic arms production, Wang said.
About 200 participants attended the annual bilateral defense industry conference this year, which gathers officials, defense industry representatives and think tank experts from Taiwan and the US.
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