Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     ​With the Chinese New Year holidays approaching, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (February 12) reminded the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene and adopt appropriate measures to guard against infectious diseases and food poisoning, both locally and when travelling abroad. The public should avoid travelling or participating in gatherings when feeling unwell.

Seasonal influenza and other respiratory diseases
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Acute gastroenteritis (AGE), norovirus infection and food poisoning
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Mosquito-borne diseases
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Measles
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Nipah virus infection
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Middle East Respiratory Syndrome
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      The public may visit the DH’s Travel Health Service webpage

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Government today (February 12) announced the Updated Version of the Hong Kong Roadmap on Popularisation of Electric Vehicles (the Updated Roadmap). The Updated Roadmap reviews the development of electric vehicle (EV) technology over the past decade, summarises the progress that has been made to promote EV popularisation in Hong Kong since the Government formulated the Hong Kong Roadmap on Popularisation of Electric Vehicles (the Roadmap) in 2021, and updates the strategies and measures adopted by the Government to promote EV popularisation.

     A spokesman for the Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB) said, “The Government formulated the Roadmap in 2021, setting the target of ceasing new registration of fuel-propelled private cars, including hybrid vehicles, in 2035 or earlier, with a view to achieving zero vehicular emissions before 2050 and supporting Hong Kong’s carbon neutrality goal before 2050. The Government also announced the Green Transformation Roadmap of Public Buses and Taxis in 2024.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The provisional estimate of Hong Kong’s population at the end of 2025 was 7,510,800, up 0.1% from a year earlier, the Census & Statistics Department announced today.

There were 31,100 births and 50,000 deaths, resulting in a natural decrease of 18,900.

The department attributed the overall population increase to effective talent attraction and labour importation measures, which offset the impact of natural population decrease.

The number of usual residents was 7,232,900, while there were 266,000 mobile residents.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

In a recent interview with Agence France-Presse (AFP), President Lai Ching-te responded to questions regarding Taiwan-Europe and Taiwan-United States relations, national defense, cross-strait relations, and the semiconductor industry from AFP Global News Director Philip Chetwynd and Taipei Bureau Chief Allison Jackson. The interview was published by AFP on February 12.
President Lai firstly stated during the interview that as an internationally recognized media outlet, AFP has readers from around the world, and he is honored to accept this interview opportunity so that he can convey Taiwan’s perspective globally. He then expressed hope that when people in the international community consider issues regarding Taiwan, they can understand three facts.
First, the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) are not subordinate to one another. Taiwan is not a part of the PRC, and the PRC does not have the right to annex Taiwan.
Second, Taiwan went through 38 long years of martial law. The people of Taiwan endured sacrifice and hardship to move from authoritarianism to today’s democracy. Consequently, safeguarding Taiwan’s national sovereignty and maintaining its free and democratic system should not be seen as provocations against communist China.
Third, if Taiwan were annexed by China, China’s expansionist ambitions would not stop there. Instead, it would become more aggressive, undermining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and the rules-based international order.
When asked to share his views on Taiwan’s ties with Europe and what he thinks Europe can bring to the table in terms of building capacity to defend Taiwan, President Lai stated that on behalf of the people of Taiwan, he wants to thank European countries for their longstanding support, and hopes that they continue to uphold this spirit by standing with Taiwan. The European Union released its Indo-Pacific Strategy in 2021. The policy highlighted cross-strait peace and stability, identifying Taiwan as a key partner. The European Parliament has also passed numerous resolutions and legislation supporting Taiwan in recent years. Notably, on October 25, 2024, it passed a resolution opposing China’s distortion of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758, safeguarding Taiwan’s sovereignty. Furthermore, many European countries have dispatched naval vessels to transit the Taiwan Strait. These concrete actions protect a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The president indicated that Taiwan hopes to see more cooperation with Europe in the following areas: First, European countries are implementing the ReArm Europe Plan. Taiwan is also strengthening its national defense capabilities, he said, noting that he has proposed a special defense budget. The president said that moving forward, he would like Taiwan and Europe to enhance cooperation in the defense industry and on defense technology.
Second, Europe is making progress on the AI Continent Action Plan. Taiwan has also launched the Ten Major AI Infrastructure Projects, and is eager to work with Europe on joint development in AI and usher in an era of comprehensive smart transformation.
Third, Europe is Taiwan’s third-largest trading partner and largest source of foreign direct investment. Meanwhile, Taiwan’s investments in Europe over the past four years have surpassed total investments made over the previous four decades. Bilateral economic and trade ties have grown closer. The president expressed hope that Europe will support signing an investment protection agreement, avoidance of double taxation arrangement, and bilateral trade agreement so that economic and trade exchanges between Taiwan and Europe continue to advance.
President Lai indicated that he has long admired European efforts to uphold universal values and their support for Ukraine’s resistance against the Russian invasion. He stated that Taiwan also stands with the Ukrainian people, and sincerely hopes that the Russia-Ukraine war will end soon so that the Ukrainian people will no longer have to suffer the hardships of war. The president said he believes that Europe has the capacity to support Ukraine in its objectives, and is also confident that Europe can continue to devote attention to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, which also needs sustained European engagement.
In response to a question on how Taiwan’s government is going to resolve the deadlock on the passage of a US$40 billion defense spending bill, which the opposition parties have blocked 10 times to date, President Lai stated that to highlight Taiwan’s commitment to self-defense and determination to safeguard peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, he proposed the special defense budget, through which the government aims to build the T-Dome, establish an AI-driven defense network, and further promote Taiwan’s defense industry. This comes in addition to Taiwan’s regular annual defense budget.
The president indicated that the US$40 billion special defense budget covers a period of eight years. Even with this investment, Taiwan’s overall defense spending remains lower than both Japan and the Republic of Korea. Given the state of its economic development, Taiwan is fully capable of funding this special budget. This will first enable the defense budget to exceed 3 percent of GDP, and consequently meet the goal of 5 percent of GDP by 2030. President Lai went on to say that this major defense policy enjoys strong public support. Taiwan is a democracy. The Taiwanese people will not tolerate partisan or ideological divisions that undermine the national interest, he said, expressing confidence that the budget will ultimately pass.
When asked about whether there is a risk that US President Donald Trump will start to lose patience and begin questioning Taiwan’s commitment to doing more for its own defense as the deadlock drags on, President Lai stated that Taiwan is responsible for safeguarding itself, and speaking as president and commander-in-chief, proposing this special budget is a clear demonstration of that resolve. He reiterated that the government will enhance communication with opposition parties and the public. In a democratic society, every political party is ultimately accountable to the people, he said, so he is therefore confident that this budget will win their support.
Regarding how he interprets recent changes at the top of China’s military with regard to Taiwan’s security, President Lai noted that China has a military force of roughly 2 million personnel and around 40 full generals, yet only two are currently in active posts. He said that this is indeed an unusual situation, and the reasons behind these significant changes within the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and their impact on combat readiness will require further observation before any firm conclusions can be drawn. Taiwan will continue to closely monitor developments within the PLA, and expects that the international community will do the same. Most importantly, Taiwan must keep strengthening its own defenses, enhancing economic resilience, and standing shoulder to shoulder with like-minded partners to build deterrence. Whether internal changes within China’s military translate into greater risks for Taiwan ultimately depends on Taiwan’s own defense preparedness and on the credibility of deterrence it builds together with its partners – that is the key.
President Lai was also asked to share his thoughts on the talk surrounding the date of 2027 for Chinese preparedness in terms of its capacity to invade Taiwan, and whether that date concerns him or impacts his thinking given the changes taking place in China. In response, the president stated that there has been much speculation in the international community about whether China will be ready to invade Taiwan by 2027. Such discussions underscore the reality that China’s threats against Taiwan remain persistent and their ambitions to annex Taiwan have not changed. He said that as commander-in-chief, entrusted with the responsibility for the country’s defense, specific dates are not his primary concern. What matters more is that Taiwan must make the best preparations for a worst-case scenario. We must have the capability to deter China’s aggression at any time. We want to ensure that, for China, there is never a day that is a good day to invade Taiwan. This is the best guarantee of Taiwan’s security and the peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
Regarding Chinese President Xi Jinping’s phone call the previous week with President Trump, in which he was understood to have warned President Trump to be cautious about arms sales to Taiwan, President Lai was asked if it could potentially jeopardize future arms sales. President Lai responded that Taiwan has always paid close attention to interactions between the US and China, and holds open channels of communication with the US. He said he believes that dialogue between President Trump and President Xi has sustained four constants in the trilateral relationship between Taiwan, the US, and China.
First, the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to one another. Taiwan is not part of the PRC. These facts remain unchanged. Second, under the Taiwan Relations Act and Six Assurances, the US commitment to Taiwan and the strength of the bilateral relationship remain rock-solid. Third, the US National Security Strategy calls for collective defense and burden-sharing amongst partners and allies to jointly uphold peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific – this has not changed. Fourth, cooperation between Taiwan and the US has continued to expand. Taiwan has confidence in itself, confidence in the US, and confidence in the Taiwan-US relationship.
President Lai was then asked if he thinks Taiwan and the question of trade could be on the agenda for the upcoming Xi-Trump talks, and if he thinks that Taiwan could be a bargaining chip in the trade dispute between the US and China. He was also asked whether, with regard to Venezuela, he is concerned that the US could lose interest in Taiwan’s part of the world as it focuses on places such as Greenland and areas in the Western hemisphere. In response, President Lai stated that Taiwan will never be any country’s bargaining chip. Taiwan’s future can only be decided by the 23 million people of Taiwan, and we have confidence in ourselves. Taiwan welcomes and supports any dialogue and cooperation that helps preserve the status quo and avoids dangerous unilateral actions. In the context of US-China trade competition, China seeks far more from the US than the US does from China. There is no need for the United States to frame Taiwan as a bargaining chip in any discussions with China. President Lai said he believes that President Trump is undertaking a difficult peace-building effort, which entails safeguarding US interests and deterring Chinese expansionism in the short term, while seeking peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific in the long-term. These efforts are of critical importance to every country in the region.
President Lai indicated that Taiwan and Venezuela are fundamentally different countries. Taiwan is a vibrant democracy with a strong economy, and actively participates in global initiatives that demonstrate to the world that it is a force for good. Situated in the first island chain in the Indo-Pacific, Taiwan also plays a crucial role in maintaining peace and stability in the region. This is why recent G7 leaders’ summits have repeatedly emphasized that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are essential to global security and prosperity.
The president stated that for the US, the situation in Venezuela has not come at the expense of their focus on Indo-Pacific affairs.  In fact, the most recent US National Security Strategy makes its four priorities clear. The first is ensuring the security of the American homeland, with the recent operations in Venezuela a part of this. Second, it calls for shifting greater strategic focus to the Indo-Pacific to preserve peace and stability, with the objective of deterring China’s expansionism. Third, the report calls for greater collective defense and burden-sharing amongst Indo-Pacific partners. And the fourth, it seeks to reindustrialize the US. In other words, the National Security Strategy identifies the Indo-Pacific region as a clear focus. The US will not withdraw from the Indo-Pacific nor allow China to displace its role in the Western Pacific.
The interview then touched upon US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s statement that the Trump administration’s objective is to bring 40 percent of Taiwan’s entire semiconductor supply chain and production to US soil so that the US can be self-sufficient, which the interviewer noted has raised alarm in Taiwan about the threat to the so-called “Silicon Shield.” In response to the question of what motivation the US would have to defend Taiwan against China if it does not need Taiwan’s semiconductors, President Lai answered that long before Taiwan’s Silicon Shield became widely recognized, the US has supported Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances. These commitments have endured for decades.
He said that in recent years, G7 leaders have repeatedly affirmed that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are essential to global security and prosperity. No country should be allowed to change the status quo by force or coercion. Taiwan’s security is directly linked to stability in the Taiwan Strait and peace in the Indo-Pacific. Without a stable Indo-Pacific, the interests of the United States and Europe would inevitably be affected as well.
The president went on to say that in recent years, political leaders in Japan have increasingly emphasized that “a contingency for Taiwan is a contingency for Japan,” and what affects Japan will, in turn, affect the United States. If Taiwan were to be annexed, the next countries under threat would be Japan, the Philippines, and others in the Indo-Pacific region, with repercussions eventually reaching the Americas and Europe. In this changing world, nations belong to a global community – a situation in any one country would inevitably impact another.
In a follow-up question regarding how he can ensure that Taiwan remains indispensable in the global semiconductor supply chain, President Lai responded that as long as Taiwan’s semiconductor industry maintains its centers for research and development, the most advanced manufacturing processes, and the largest production capacity, it will continue to play an indispensable strategic role in the global semiconductor supply chain. At the same time, while the semiconductor industry is one of Taiwan’s strengths, it is also Taiwan’s responsibility to contribute to global economic prosperity.
The president stated that the semiconductor industry operates as an integrated ecosystem. The US leads in research and design capabilities, and has a vast market; Japan has materials and equipment; the Netherlands produces advanced manufacturing tools; the Republic of Korea has strengths in memory chip production; and Taiwan specializes in wafer fabrication. No single country in this supply chain can be missing. For this reason, the Taiwanese government supports the semiconductor industry’s investments in Japan, the US, and Europe. Taiwan hopes that as the world enters the next era of intelligent technologies, it can leverage its semiconductor industry to further contribute to global development.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

On the morning of February 11, President Lai Ching-te held a press conference titled “National Security Cannot Wait! Support the Special Act for Defense Procurement” regarding the draft act for the special defense budget proposed by the Executive Yuan and its failure thus far to be referred for committee deliberation in the Legislative Yuan, briefing the public on the government’s emphasis on compensation for the armed forces and the importance of the special defense budget.
In remarks, President Lai indicated that the government proposed the eight-year special defense budget to continue enhancing the modernization of the military and asymmetric capabilities across seven major categories, implementing the spirit of military development through “new training, new mindsets, new equipment, and new technologies.”  The president emphasized that political parties can compete, but in matters of national defense – which are vital to our national security, sovereignty, and basic survival – there must be unity and solidarity against external threats. He also stated that the government stands ready to clearly explain how the budget will be used to safeguard sovereignty. The president expressed hope that all political parties in the Legislative Yuan can immediately conduct substantive deliberations and pass the act as soon as the session convenes after the Lunar New Year, work together to become the strongest backing for the armed forces, and safeguard regional peace to ensure Taiwan’s continued prosperity and stability.
A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows:
At the end of last month, the fourth session of the 11th Legislative Yuan came to a close. The draft act for the special defense budget proposed by the Executive Yuan, after two months of effort, continues to face obstruction and has yet to be referred for committee deliberation .
As we approach the Lunar New Year, I look forward to a new chapter in Legislative Yuan operations after the new session begins, and the swift completion of the deliberation of the special defense budget act. Today’s press conference features Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) and Chief of the General Staff of the Republic of China Armed Forces Mei Chia-shu (梅家樹), who will respectively report to the public on the government’s emphasis on compensation for the armed forces and the importance of the special defense budget.
I want to emphasize that defending the nation cannot wait, security cannot wait, and support for our service members cannot wait any longer.
Today, there is a strong international consensus that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are indispensable elements of global security and prosperity. In the face of the continued expansion of China’s military threats, countries in the Indo-Pacific region have increased their national defense budgets, including Japan at NT$1.8 trillion and Korea at NT$1.4 trillion this year, with the Philippines also raising its budget. Taiwan cannot be an exception; our special defense budget would amount to NT$1.25 trillion over eight years.
In particular, as a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan is committed to maintaining regional peace and stability. Increasing our defense budget and safeguarding our national security are by no means provocations, but rather demonstrations of our determination for self-defense and efforts to ensure global security. This approach has also received a high level of support from the international community.
Facing an increasingly complex regional situation, the most urgent need of our servicemen and women is to promptly acquire advanced precision weapons and equipment. Using the most advanced and sophisticated weapons and equipment, our military can protect Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu, and ensure the security of our citizens’ lives and property.
Therefore, under the expert planning of the Ministry of National Defense, we have proposed the eight-year special defense budget to continue enhancing the modernization of the military and asymmetric capabilities across seven major categories, implementing the spirit of military development through “new training, new mindsets, new equipment, and new technologies.”
I want to reiterate that increasing national defense spending and expanding security investments are common trends among democratic friends and allies. This has also led to major military suppliers like the United States already having their production at full capacity.
I want to thank the US government for supporting Taiwan by issuing our nation formal price quotes. At the same time, Taiwan’s pledge of its determination to defend itself has also received public support from the White House and bipartisan members of Congress.
But now, because the budget has not been passed, in addition to Taiwan possibly losing its place on priority lists, and the delivery of critical weapons and equipment being delayed, the international community may question Taiwan’s determination to defend itself.
As president and commander-in-chief of the armed forces, it is my responsibility and obligation to make clear to all fellow citizens the urgency and risks brought about by these delays.
Recently, some public discourse has suggested that this budget delay is related to the government’s decision to not include a previous proposal by opposition party members to increase the monthly salaries of volunteer service members uniformly by NT$30,000. Furthermore, there have been criticisms that the government is failing to care for military personnel. I want to state solemnly that this is an entirely false association.
In fact, Democratic Progressive Party governments have taken better care of the armed forces than Kuomintang governments. Over the past ten years, our executive teams have not only raised salaries for military personnel, public servants, and teachers four times with a cumulative adjustment rate reaching 14 percent, but have also promoted the replacement of military equipment and the renovation of old military dependents’ housing. In addition, allowances have been increased 23 times  to protect the rights and interests of military personnel. Just last year, I expanded allowances in five categories , increasing annual expenditures by NT$13.8 billion. Minister Koo will provide a more detailed explanation on this matter later.
The military is a vast organization, and for the men and women in different regions, units, and roles, the specific items for which they are eligible to draw pay are governed by different allowance frameworks.
For this reason, the uniform salary increase proposed by legislators from the opposition parties is not only constitutionally questionable, but also lacks professional consideration, undermines military ethics, and undercuts military leadership.
Therefore, the Executive Yuan has petitioned for a constitutional interpretation, and if it is deemed constitutional, the shortfall will be covered by an additional budget. As a democracy under the rule of law, we must improve benefits and compensation for military personnel in a legal and constitutional manner. Only with a sound system can protections be stable, and only then can all members of the armed forces feel at ease.
I want to emphasize that political parties can compete, and policies can be fully debated so that citizens can make their choice; but in matters of national defense – which are vital to our national security, sovereignty, and basic survival – there must be unity and solidarity against external threats.
In the face of various questions, the military and the executive team have never expected the legislature to unconditionally pass any defense budget. Rather, we hope to explain in detail to legislators from both the ruling and opposition parties, in a secure and confidential setting, the details of the budget and how it will be implemented so that it can be deliberated and passed.
We stand ready to clearly explain how the budget will be used to safeguard sovereignty and improve the working environments and compensation of military personnel.
I remember that 21 years ago, when I was a legislator, the US decided to sell eight submarines as part of a larger procurement to strengthen Taiwan’s defense capabilities and stabilize the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. However, the special budget for military procurement proposed by the Executive Yuan was blocked 69 times by the Legislative Yuan’s Procedure Committee. As a result, the plan was eventually scrapped.
If that purchase had been approved, our eight submarines would already be in service, and Taiwan would have been able to contribute more to regional peace and stability much sooner.
Now, with external threats escalating and the need for a stronger military growing more urgent, we are again witnessing obstruction of efforts to enhance our national defense. Taiwan absolutely cannot repeat that mistake.
On November 26 of last year, Minister Koo and I presented this budget proposal to the entire nation at the Presidential Office. Today, I want to reiterate that many international friends have repeatedly conveyed to Taiwan that when it comes to strengthening our national defense, there can be no more waiting, and it must not be delayed.
I would like to once again sincerely urge all political parties in the Legislative Yuan to immediately conduct substantive deliberations and pass the draft special defense budget act as soon as the session convenes after the Lunar New Year. Let us work together to strengthen national defense, safeguard our country, and ensure that Taiwan continues to prosper and develop.
My fellow citizens, peace is priceless, and war has no winners.
Taiwan is strengthening national defense not because we seek to invade any country; we simply want to protect our way of life. We can have ideals about peace, but we must not harbor delusions about it. Peace cannot be secured with a piece of paper; only strength can ensure true peace. Only by preparing for war can we avoid it. Only by being able to fight can we stop war.
The armed forces are among the most important pillars that safeguard sovereignty and maintain peace and stability. In addition to standing on the frontline to protect our homeland, they also provide reassuring support for our people when natural disasters strike.
Both the ruling and opposition parties should take it as their shared responsibility to support the armed forces so they can focus on their combat training duties without concerns back home. Indeed, there should be a basic consensus among all citizens in this regard.
Since taking office, I have visited coastal military strongpoints, electronic warfare bases, air defense units stationed at airports, and a radar station located at an altitude of 3,000 meters to show my support for our men and women in uniform standing fast at their posts.
Regardless of gender or age, they are all our children, family, and friends. Their round-the-clock devotion to protecting our country enables us all to celebrate the Lunar New Year with peace of mind, and ensures the stable development of our industries.
Now, let us work together to become the strongest backing for the armed forces, improve their working environment, and provide them with the most sophisticated weapons and equipment, taking up responsibility to safeguard regional peace and ensure Taiwan’s prosperity and stability. Thank you.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA thanks Australian, German foreign ministers for joint statement expressing supporting for peace and stability across Taiwan Strait

Date：2026-02-09
Data Source：Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs

February 9, 2026  No. 047  Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong met with German Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Johann Wadephul on February 5 in Canberra. Following the meeting, the two sides issued a joint statement in which they underscored the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and reiterated their opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo. The joint statement also called for the peaceful management of cross-strait issues through dialogue, without coercion or the use of force, and expressed support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations. Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung highly appreciates and welcomes the fact that Australia and Germany have once again affirmed their consensus and position on these issues following a similar joint statement in 2023. Australia and Germany are both like-minded partners of Taiwan, and the three countries uphold such fundamental values as democracy, freedom, human rights, and the rule of law. Maintaining peace across the Taiwan Strait and stability in the Indo-Pacific has become a worldwide consensus. As an indispensable member of the global village, Taiwan will continue to defend the rules-based international order and work with other countries to jointly enhance peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. (E)
 

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA congratulates Thailand on successful completion of general election

Date：2026-02-09
Data Source：Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs

February 9, 2026      No. 046  On February 8, Thailand held a general election for its 500-seat House of Representatives. The Bhumjaithai Party, led by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, won the largest number of seats and is expected to work with other parties to form a coalition government. Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung extends sincere congratulations to Thailand on the successful completion of its general election. He has instructed the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Thailand to promptly send congratulatory messages to the Thai government and elected parliamentarians on behalf of the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan).Taiwan and Thailand are important partners and have long enjoyed close exchanges in such areas as the economy, trade, investment, tourism, culture, and education. In recent years, under Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy, bilateral cooperation has continued to deepen, and people-to-people exchanges have grown in frequency, producing fruitful outcomes. Building on this existing foundation of constructive collaboration, Taiwan will continue to take a pragmatic approach and uphold the principle of reciprocity in working with the new Thai government and House of Representatives so as to further enhance substantive cooperation and jointly promote peace, stability, and prosperity throughout the region. (E)
 

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

January 28, 2026  
No. 037  
The sixth Taiwan-US Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue (EPPD) was held in person on January 27 in Washington, DC. The high-level meeting of the EPPD was cochaired by Taiwan Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin and US Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg. A number of senior Taiwan officials and experts attended the meeting, including Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Chen Ming-chi, Deputy Minister of Digital Affairs Isabel Hou, Political Deputy Minister of Education Liu Kuo-wei, President of the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) Chang Pei-zen, and representatives from the National Science and Technology Council and other agencies. A working-level meeting was also held on the same day to further cooperation and exchanges in all domains.

During the meeting, the two sides agreed that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait were vital to global economic security and prosperity. They also signed a joint statement on the Pax Silica Declaration and Taiwan-US economic security cooperation, underscoring Taiwan’s importance in artificial intelligence (AI) supply chains.

Moving forward, Taiwan and the United States will establish working groups on important collaboration issues and continue discussions to strengthen supply chain security and key infrastructure so as to jointly build a more secure, more prosperous, and innovation-driven Taiwan-US partnership.

This year’s EPPD covered such topics as AI supply chains, digital infrastructure, critical minerals, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) supply chains, high-tech talent development, Taiwan-US collaboration in third countries, and bilateral economic cooperation. A brief overview of the key points is provided below.

1. Ensuring AI supply chain security
Both sides agreed to jointly review partnerships between Taiwan and US enterprises in AI technology stacking projects and advanced robotics, discuss bolstering supply chain cybersecurity resilience cooperation, and foster the development and application of trusted traditional Chinese corpora for large language models. Together, Taiwan and the United States aim to shape a sovereign AI data foundation characterized by diversity and openness while exploring collaboration to advance trusted AI systems in third countries. 

2. Digital infrastructure
The United States supports Taiwan in exploring innovative communications technologies as part of a multipronged approach to increase communications resilience. Taiwan will look into working with US low-orbit satellite suppliers and collaborating with the United States to explore opportunities with partner countries in such domains as undersea cables and ICT infrastructure to boost trusted connectivity. The two countries also agreed to leverage existing Taiwan-US 5G supply chain cooperation platforms to advance substantive collaboration between industries on both sides in open networks, next-generation communications (such as 6G technologies), supply chains, and expanding into international ICT infrastructure markets.

3. Critical minerals supply chains
Both sides committed to strengthening collaboration in such areas as critical minerals mining and processing, as well as promoting bilateral technical exchanges in critical minerals refining and electronic waste recycling. Together, they aim to provide partner countries with high-standard alternative solutions and jointly enhance Taiwan-US supply chain resilience.

4. UAS supply chains
The two sides pledged to work together to build non-red supply chains and promote the commercial development, regulatory compliance, certification, and comanufacturing of UAS. Before the meeting, Taiwan’s ITRI and the US-based Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International signed an assessor license and services agreement under the Green UAS program. It will facilitate Taiwan’s UAS industry in aligning with international certification mechanisms, upgrading related domestic supply chains, and fostering overall industrial development.

5. High-tech talent development
Taiwan and the United States will continue to enhance coordination through the EPPD and other platforms, working together to further talent cultivation and skills development in the AI industry and exchanging views on the AI Academy framework.

6. Taiwan-US cooperation in third countries
In addition to collaborating with Taiwan’s diplomatic allies, the two sides agreed to explore cooperation opportunities in the Philippines, Latin America, and other regions of shared priority. The United States will continue to elevate Taiwan’s preparedness to respond to economic coercion and support of Taiwan partners that are potentially vulnerable to economic coercion.

7. Bilateral economic cooperation
Both sides agreed to steadily deepen collaboration on such issues as investment review and expediting the resolution of double taxation.

The dialogue marked the sixth round of talks under the EPPD framework since its establishment in 2020. Senior officials from various Taiwan agencies and departments traveled to the United States to attend the EPPD in person, highlighting the continued development of a comprehensive and close bilateral partnership. Both sides stated that the dialogue yielded fruitful results and said that they looked forward to continuing to deepen cooperation across domains through the mechanism to jointly improve the well-being and economic prosperity of people on both sides. (E)