On September 11, Lee Hsi-min, consultant of DSET, former Chief of the General Staff of the Taiwan Armed Forces, and Dr. Jerrel Lai, head of the Center’s National Security Research Group, concluded a 10-day visit to Europe.
They traveled to Hamburg, Germany, Budapest, Hungary, and Prague, Czech Republic, participating in closed-door national security discussions organized by the Institute for Security Policy at Kiel University (ISPK) and engaging in in-depth discussions with security experts at the Political Capital Institute in Hungary and the European Values Center for Security Policy (EVC) in the Czech Republic, alongside government representatives in the Czech Republic.
Engaging in 1.5 Track Diplomacy with Europe to Strengthen Defense Technology Exchange
Consultant Lee stated that the main purpose of the visit was to exchange ideas with local think tanks, government agencies, and academic experts on how to strengthen cooperation with Taiwan in defense technologies needed for future warfare, including drones, artificial intelligence, and low-Earth orbit satellites. They also shared insights on how these emerging technologies can assist Taiwan in deterring China through asymmetric warfare strategies, while discussing Taiwan’s strategies and challenges in adapting to these new technologies.
Lee emphasized that DSET has conducted thorough research on Taiwan’s drone supply chain and is currently researching the application of low-Earth orbit satellites. He looks forward to DSET continuing to deepen its research on the application of defense technologies and providing further policy recommendations to share with democratic partners.
Discussing Regional Threats and Response Strategies with German and Czech Security Experts
Reflecting on the European visit, Dr. Lai noted that the ISPK annually invites European security experts for closed meetings, and this was DSET’s first participation alongside Consultant Lee. During their visit to the Czech Republic, they also engaged in a roundtable forum with national security scholars from the EVC, sharing insights in interviews conducted by the Czech newspaper “Aktualne.cz” and the Institute for Politics and Society about the threats posed by China in the Indo-Pacific region, as well as Taiwan’s asymmetric warfare strategy and related defense technology applications. Local security scholars expressed growing concerns over Europe’s increasing hybrid threats from China.
Dr. Lai explained that with the ongoing stalemate of the Russia-Ukraine war, European countries are focusing on the application of emerging technologies such as drones on the battlefield and are increasingly interested in their use in potential Taiwan Strait conflicts. DSET plans to hold a forum in Europe in the second half of this year, with this visit serving as a precursor for further exchanges, and will continue to share research findings with democratic partners. DSET aims to enhance collective capabilities to address complex security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, contributing significantly to regional and global security dialogues.
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