Taiwan to Launch “drone Diplomacy” Initiative
Taipei, Oct. 22 (CNA) – Taiwan is set to launch a ”drone diplomacy” initiative, offering drones to both its diplomatic allies for civilian applications and to European nations facing threats from Russia, according to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) official.
Speaking at the EU-Taiwan Drones Technology & Export forum, Charlie Chiang, head of MOFA’s Department of NGO International Affairs, highlighted that Taiwan’s drone industry is currently less developed than its renowned facts and communications technology and artificial intelligence sectors. He attributed this to limited production capacity, a challenge the government aims to overcome through a planned procurement of nearly 50,000 military drones from local manufacturers by 2027, alongside increased export efforts.
To facilitate this, MOFA plans to establish a dedicated “drone diplomacy task force” operating in two phases. The first phase will focus on providing drone donations to Taiwan’s diplomatic allies, supporting sectors like agriculture, logistics, disaster prevention, coast guard operations, healthcare, and infrastructure surveillance.
The second phase will target partnerships with like-minded countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including Japan and the philippines, offering a broader range of unmanned systems – including drones, unmanned surface vessels, and underwater drones.
Taiwan also intends to supply Central and Eastern European countries bordering Russia – specifically Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Germany – with drones for military applications, especially for bolstering defenses against potential land-based threats. Chiang noted that these nations are seeking to enhance their air defence capabilities in response to harassment from Russian drones during the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The task force will act as a liaison, identifying the specific needs of international partners and connecting them with Taiwanese drone suppliers through the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), the government agency overseeing the drone industry.
While no firm timelines have been established, MOFA is scheduled to discuss the initiative further with the MOEA at a ministerial meeting next week.
