Taiwan Military Finds Chinese Parts in Drones; Probe Launched into Supplier's China Ties

Taiwan's military has uncovered a case of national security law violation in a drone procurement deal. Hangjian Technology Co., Ltd. allegedly supplied drones containing Chinese-made components, including core chips and flight control boards, for personnel training. The company, led by Zhang Donglin, along with collaborator Luo Yixiang from Ruiyang Innovation Technology, is accused of attempting to deceive the military by covering up the Chinese origin with company stickers and providing false Taiwanese origin certificates.

The military discovered the use of Chinese, Hong Kong, and Macau-made products during a comprehensive inspection aimed at preventing the infiltration of the "red supply chain." The drones were part of a procurement case for the Army's Eighth Army Command, with a budget of NT$4.5 million. Hangjian Technology won the bid at NT$2.95 million, delivering 180 drones in three batches. However, the military did not pay for the procurement after identifying the non-compliant parts.

Investigators found that Luo Yixiang admitted to purchasing drone parts from Chinese manufacturers and assembling them in Taiwan for delivery to the military. Zhang Donglin denied the allegations. Given Zhang's frequent travel to China, prosecutors are now investigating whether China was involved in the national defense bid. The case highlights concerns over the use of foreign components in sensitive military procurements and the potential for foreign interference.