VP urges enhancing resilience, cooperation

• By Wang Shu-hsiu / Staff reporter

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Taiwan should integrate its industrial strengths to build safer, more resilient and more trusted supply chains with like-minded democratic partners, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said yesterday at an uncrewed vehicles demonstration at a harbor in Tainan’s Anping District (安平).

The maiden Taiwan Marine Tech and Unmanned Robotics Expo is being held from today to Thursday at the International Convention Center Tainan, and a demonstration event was held yesterday.

The drone live demonstration featured advanced uncrewed surface vehicle and uncrewed underwater vehicle systems developed by Taiwan, the US and Ukraine.

Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, center, inspects a Ghostwake uncrewed surface vessel, developed by US-based STR8 Industries and manufactured in Taiwan, during a demonstration in Tainan yesterday.

Photo: I-hwa Cheng, AFP

It showcased cross-domain system integration, including remote control, autonomous path planning and underwater sonar capabilities.

The demonstration also highlighted Taiwan’s technological strength in deploying high-mobility uncrewed systems for high-risk operations.

Hsiao said holding the expo has great significance, as it brings together scientific research, maritime governance, national security, technology development, market alignment and international collaboration.

A SeaShark 600 uncrewed surface vessel, developed by Thunder Tiger Corp, is demonstrated in Tainan yesterday.

Photo: I-hwa Cheng, AFP

The expo also aligns closely with national strategic priorities, including President William Lai’s (賴清德) “five trusted industry sectors,” strategic positioning in frontier artificial intelligence (AI) and smart robotics applications under the “10 major AI projects,” she said.

As an island nation, the ocean is Taiwan’s economic lifeline, as well as the front line of national defense, she said.

Taiwan has faced various forms of “gray zone” intrusion over the past few years, demonstrating that modern national security is undergoing dramatic changes, and that peace depends on strength, she said.

The foundation of strength lies in overall defense resilience and international cooperation, Hsiao added.

Hardware is only the foundation, while the critical core is integration — including of seamlessly connecting sensors, communications and AI command systems across space, land, sea and underwater domains to build a multi-layered, decentralized maritime network — and it requires the immense capability of Taiwan’s private sector, she said.

Taiwan has decades of expertise in semiconductors, information and communications technology, precision engineering, smart manufacturing and general industry, while the US and European partners have extensive experience in system development and combat operations, she said.

“As no single nation can operate alone in this domain, we must combine our respective industrial strengths,” she said, adding that by integrating the nation’s supply chain through joint development, technical cooperation and localized production, Taiwan and like-minded democratic partners can establish safer, more resilient and globally trusted industries.