The Research Institute for Democracy, Society and Emerging Technology (DSET) recently welcomed three congressional staff delegations from the United States and Canada, comprising a total of 30 participants. During the visits, the delegations exchanged views with DSET on energy security, artificial intelligence (AI) governance, drone supply chains, critical minerals, and other strategic issues, while learning about DSET’s latest research and policy analysis.
The U.S. delegations included bipartisan staff members from both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. One delegation was led by Eliza Manuela Ramirez, National Security Advisor to Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), while another was led by Shine Lee, Legislative Director to Representative Young Kim (R-CA), Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific. The delegations also included congressional staff serving on committees responsible for armed services, foreign affairs, and energy policy.
DSET expressed its appreciation for the U.S. Congress’s longstanding support for Taiwan and shared its observations on recent legislative developments related to Taiwan’s security, including the Taiwan Energy Security and Anti-Embargo Act and the Blue Sky Act, both of which carry important implications for Taiwan’s energy resilience and U.S.-Taiwan cooperation on drone technologies.
Congressional staff also discussed China’s use of “shadow networks” to circumvent export controls and the potential risks such practices pose to Taiwan’s semiconductor supply chain. DSET noted that Taiwan has strengthened safeguards against technology leakage through investment review mechanisms, amendments to the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, and revisions to the National Security Act. Taiwanese companies have likewise implemented rigorous internal compliance measures. Looking ahead, DSET recommended expanding export controls beyond advanced technologies to encompass materials, manufacturing equipment, and other critical supply chain components, while enhancing policy coordination with like-minded partners to improve the effectiveness of export control regimes.
The U.S. delegation also expressed interest in the potential risks associated with open-weight AI models. DSET explained that the nature of open-weight models allows users to remove built-in safety guardrails and conduct unrestricted testing of model capabilities. As China’s AI development rapidly closes the gap with the West, DSET argued that the most effective means of maintaining a technological advantage will increasingly depend on restricting access to advanced AI hardware, including cutting-edge semiconductors and computing infrastructure. DSET also encouraged continued U.S. efforts to advance legislation such as the Maintaining American Technology Controls on Chinese Artificial Intelligence Act (MATCH Act) and the Strengthening Restrictions on AI Diffusion and Exports Act (STRIDE Act), while deepening export control cooperation with allies.
- Related DSET Commentary: Narrowing the Gap Through MATCH and STRIDE: A Primer on Recent Export Control Bills
The Canadian delegation was led by former Member of Parliament Kenny Chiu and included staff from the governing Liberal Party and the opposition Conservative Party as well as Bloc Québécois, representing members of both the House of Commons and the Senate.
Discussions with the Canadian delegation focused on Taiwan’s AI governance framework, including the recently enacted Basic Act on Artificial Intelligence, China’s AI model development, privacy protection in large language model (LLM) training, and broader AI governance policies. The two sides also exchanged views on Taiwan’s drone supply chain and satellite communications development.
During the meeting, DSET highlighted Canada’s abundant critical mineral resources and its ongoing efforts to implement a national Battery Strategy while expanding its battery materials supply chain. DSET noted that closer investment and industrial cooperation among Taiwan, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and other democratic partners would help de-risk critical supply chains and strengthen long-term supply chain resilience.
DSET also introduced its latest policy report, Powering Resilience: Opportunities and Challenges for Localizing Taiwan’s Drone Battery Supply Chain. Based on interviews with battery manufacturers and electrode material suppliers in Taiwan, Japan, and the United States, together with industry analysis and international policy comparisons, the report examines pathways for Taiwan to reduce its dependence on China’s lithium battery supply chain and offers concrete policy recommendations to strengthen domestic production capacity.
DSET expressed its gratitude for the continued interest shown by U.S. and Canadian congressional staff in Taiwan’s technological development and security challenges. DSET looks forward to further strengthening exchanges with like-minded partners and expanding cooperation on energy security, AI governance, democratic resilience, and critical supply chains to advance the technological security and resilience of democratic societies.
