As the Legislative Yuan nears the end of its current session, opposition parties have proposed significant cuts and freezes to the 2025 central government budget. At a press conference on January 16, Premier Jung-tai Cho warned that these reductions would weaken Taiwan in five critical areas: technological development, national security, civil service performance, government communications, and overall national competitiveness.
As Donald Trump prepares to be inaugurated as President of the US on January 20, his controversial campaign statements and post-election remarks have raised alarm among allies in Europe and Asia. Proposals such as imposing higher import tariffs, demanding increased military spending from allies, withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WHO), and even attempting to purchase or annex Greenland have left countries scrambling to assess potential impacts and countermeasures.
Transcom, a provider of military-grade power amplifiers (PA), has disclosed that its revenue for 2024 reached an all-time high. The company's strong sales performance last year was primarily driven by government contracts, satellite communication-related products, and an increase in military drone shipments.
The US Department of Defense (DoD) has added Tencent Holdings, Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL), and ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) to its blacklist of entities allegedly tied to the Chinese military. This annual update to the Section 1260H list now includes 134 companies, as published on the Federal Register's website.
While the US semiconductor revival extends beyond Intel's prominent efforts, it critically depends on Micron, the country's sole memory chip manufacturer, expanding its domestic production capacity.
Global conflicts have accelerated the integration of emerging technologies into defense strategies, with countries prioritizing supply chain resilience. In Taiwan, President Lai Ching-te's administration's proposal of "five trusted industries" highlights military innovation, strengthening the defense supply chain.
China has added 28 US entities, including Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics, to its export control list, banning dual-use item exports amid the upcoming Trump 2.0 administration and ongoing US-Taiwan arms sales.
A Taiwanese shipbuilder is gaining international attention for its stealth unmanned surface vessel (USV), highlighting the growing market for autonomous naval technology as countries seek to bolster their maritime defense capabilities.
SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk raised concerns about chip shortages during a discussion with TSMC Chairman C.C. Wei, emphasizing the transformative potential of drones and multifunctional robots. Taiwan's academic sector is spearheading at least 10 humanoid robot projects, with plans for continued expansion.
The US government has launched a national- security investigation into TP-Link, the China-founded router maker whose equipment now dominates the American market and has been targeted in repeated Chinese cyber attacks, people familiar with the matter said.
On December 17, 2024, the US Department of Defense (DoD) confirmed the removal of Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment Inc. (AMEC) and IDG Capital from its Chinese Military Companies (CMC) list, effective December 13.
Aegiverse is betting big on fiber-optic gyroscopes (FOG) as military demand for resilient navigation systems surges amid growing drone and satellite deployments. The National Central University spinoff, founded in 2022, is pushing into US and Indian markets while deepening ties with Taiwanese defense contractors.
Taiwan has launched the "Defense Innovation Unit" to accelerate the development of dual-use military technologies, with a particular focus on drones and countermeasures. The initiative draws inspiration from the US Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), which collaborates with private tech firms to integrate commercial innovations into defense applications swiftly. Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense aims to replicate this model, fostering collaboration between its military and civilian sectors to modernize defense capabilities and reduce reliance on traditional military frameworks.
Taiwan's emerging drone sector shows promise but faces hurdles in catching up with China's established industry. Recent events demonstrate Taiwan's commitment to growing its drone sector, including the first specialized drone display at the Taipei International Electronics Show (TAITRONICS) in 2024 and the planned drone section at COMPUTEX in 2025.
China's push for semiconductor self-sufficiency, spurred by US restrictions, is yielding dual-use technological advances that span both civilian and defense sectors. Several key developments highlight this trend.
BAE Systems is advancing its position in the commercial space sector through a series of strategic partnerships in Asia-Pacific, marking a significant shift from its traditional defense focus as it seeks to capitalize on the growing regional demand for space capabilities.
The 2024 Taiwan International Assembly of Space Science, Technology, and Industry (TASTI 2024), held from November 30 to December 4 at the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center, witnessed the inaugural participation of a British delegation, which established a "National Pavilion," drawing significant attention from industry stakeholders.
Nearly 60 space companies are showcasing their latest innovations at TASTI Expo 2024, demonstrating Taiwan's growing aerospace capabilities. The Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) leads the exhibition with Formosat-8, featuring locally developed components including optical payload, GPSR, satellite computer, power systems, and communication modules.
The largest US drone maker struggles with supply chain disruption after selling drones to Taiwan's fire departments, with current inventory projected to last until spring 2025.
Neousys Technology has defied the downward trend in the industrial PC (IPC) industry in 2024, achieving solid revenues and profits through its early investments in edge AI computing. As the IPC industry rebounds amid growing AI adoption, chairman James Gau projects sustained growth for the company in 2025.
Taiwan is making a determined push into aerospace as part of its "Five Trusted Industry Sectors" initiative, with the sector reaching NT$133.6 billion (US$4.2 billion) in output, returning to pre-pandemic levels. This industry, deemed critical for national defense and technological advancement, is experiencing a renaissance after the severe disruption of 2020-2022.
Thunder Tiger Technology, a leading drone manufacturer in Taiwan, has revealed impressive achievements at this year's AUSA (Association of the United States Army) Convention and has secured interest from many clients. Additionally, the company is collaborating with Israeli drone optics giant NextVision to expand production.
Amid concerns over potential shifts in US military engagement following President-Elect Donald Trump's election victory, Taiwan is accelerating efforts to bolster its defense capabilities. President Lai Ching-te has identified defense as one of five key trusted industries, with plans to build an autonomous military supply chain centered on critical technologies including drone development.
The Taiwan Drone Excellence Overseas Business Alliance, established in late 2024, has secured Poland as its second "ally" after Oklahoma, US. The partnership aims to advance international drone sales, technology development, supply chain integration, and global competitiveness.
