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Taiwan’s Cabinet Set to Co-Sign Uncrewed Systems Law as KMT Group Seeks a ‘Second National Shield Mountain’

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Taiwan’s legislature has passed a law establishing a strategic special committee for the uncrewed-systems industry and setting annual funding at NT$40 billion for six years.
  • Kuomintang legislative caucus leader Fu Kun-chi said the government should complete the co-signing process and build a full domestic supply chain.
  • The law and the proposed NT$240 billion allocation are expected to remain focal points in political debate and industry planning.

Taiwan’s opposition Kuomintang caucus is urging the government to turn the island into a major global base for uncrewed systems after the legislature passed a law supporting defense autonomy and industrial development.

Taiwan should seize the opportunity to establish a complete uncrewed-systems industry chain and even pursue the goal of building a second national shield mountain.

— Fu Kun-chiThe Kuomintang caucus leader called for a large-scale domestic industry built around uncrewed systems.

The Executive Yuan is reportedly preparing to co-sign the legislation and include it in supplementary spending scheduled for approval this week. The next annual central government budget is also expected to contain amendments related to the law.

The measure establishes a strategic special committee, with experts eligible for nomination by legislative party caucuses. Its review reports must be published online. The legislation sets funding at NT$40 billion a year in principle for six years, totaling NT$240 billion, and places the Ministry of Economic Affairs in charge.

The investment of NT$240 billion over six years is not a small amount, so the system and related regulations must be clear.

— Fu Kun-chiFu argued that the scale of the proposed funding required clear rules and oversight.

Fu Kun-chi, the Kuomintang caucus leader, said Taiwan should use the opportunity to establish a complete uncrewed-systems supply chain and pursue what he called a “second national shield mountain”. He said the negotiations had been difficult and that clear rules would be needed to remove obstacles while addressing defense security and international cooperation.

Taiwan, with the most complete upstream, midstream and downstream IT industry chain and high technological value, is best placed to become the world’s largest drone production base.

— Fu Kun-chiHe described Taiwan’s technology and manufacturing capabilities as a basis for competing in the global drone market.

Fu said Taiwan’s technology and manufacturing base gave it a chance to catch up in the sector. He argued that global demand for drones is rising because countries are seeking defense and asymmetric-warfare capabilities. In his view, Taiwan could become the world’s largest drone production base, creating tens of thousands of jobs and business opportunities worth tens of billions of U.S. dollars in foreign exchange. Whether the Executive Yuan completes the co-signing process, how it budgets the funds and how the NT$240 billion is distributed will shape the next political and industry debate.

A second world-class national shield mountain is within sight.

— Fu Kun-chiFu used the phrase to express his expectation that the uncrewed-systems sector could become a major strategic industry.
About this summary

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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