Tsai Ing

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan is essential to global security and technology, former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said Wednesday, calling on democracies to strengthen defense and industrial cooperation.

Speaking at the fourth annual Stanford DEFCON Technology & National Security Conference, Tsai said military strength, technology, and economic security are closely linked. She urged democratic countries to combine their industrial capabilities and reduce reliance on individual suppliers, CNA reported.

Tsai said Taiwan faces daily cyberattacks and disinformation, while Chinese military aircraft and ships regularly operate nearby. Beijing uses such tactics to pressure Taiwan without triggering open conflict, underscoring the need for stronger military deterrence and peacetime defenses, she said.

She emphasized the need for smaller, mobile, and dispersed defense systems capable of continuing to operate under attack. Persistent presence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and military readiness are also needed to address Chinese pressure during peacetime, she said.

Tsai recalled her administration’s December 2022 decision to extend mandatory military service from four months to one year. The reform also improved facilities, equipment, and training to strengthen military readiness.

She cited the domestic submarine program as another example of Taiwan’s growing defense capabilities. The first domestically built submarine, the “Hai Kun,” has completed 17 submerged sea trials and is nearing the end of testing, she said.

Beyond military preparedness, Tsai stressed the need to keep essential services operating during a crisis, including communications, energy, hospitals, public services, and access to reliable information.

She also highlighted Taiwan’s advanced manufacturing sector as a major contributor to global security. Taiwanese companies produce nearly all the advanced chips used in US AI computing systems and about 90% of the world’s AI servers, she said.

Taiwanese manufacturers also supply communications equipment, cooling systems, and other critical components. Their ability to produce complex technology at scale makes them important partners in building reliable supply chains.

Tsai pointed to Taiwan’s growing drone industry, which includes more than 200 companies producing controllers, motors, cameras, and other components. She said Taiwan also has competitive counter-drone companies and the capacity to turn partners’ designs into mass-produced systems.

Taiwan’s shipbuilding and shipping industries could also provide a foundation for developing unmanned vessels for maritime defense and emergency deliveries, she said.

Tsai cited the rapid expansion of face mask production during the COVID-19 pandemic as an example of Taiwan’s industrial strength. More than 80 machine-tool companies helped establish 92 production lines in less than 40 days to meet surging demand.

Tsai said the effort showed how government and industry could work together during emergencies. She urged democracies to apply the same approach to developing defense technologies and reducing supply chain risks.

Taiwan’s strategic position along the first island chain, democratic institutions, and advanced industries make it an important partner in the Indo-Pacific, Tsai said. Closer cooperation with Taiwan would reinforce regional stability and help democracies respond to future crises, she added.