A delegation from the Danish Society of Engineers (IDA, Ingeniørforeningen i Danmark) visited Taipei on March 9 and met with DSET at the Trade Council of Denmark. The discussion covered global geopolitics, energy security, supply chain resilience, and information security. Peter Sand, Director of the Danish Trade Council, also attended the exchange.
IDA is one of Denmark’s largest professional organizations for engineers and technology professionals, representing approximately 180,000 members across science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The association plays an active role in public discussions on technology policy, innovation, digitalization, and engineering development.
The visiting delegation included IDA’s president, vice chair, and members of its executive board, totaling 15 representatives. Their visit to Taiwan aimed to gain a deeper understanding of how Taiwan is responding to rapid technological change, shifting geopolitical dynamics, national resilience challenges, and green transition.
During the exchange, the delegation noted that Taiwan and Denmark face similar challenges in safeguarding energy security and protecting critical infrastructure. In Europe, Russia’s “shadow fleet” activities in the North Sea have raised security concerns, while Denmark has also experienced incidents involving drones appearing near critical infrastructure, widely viewed as potential hybrid threats.
On energy security, Elizabeth Frost, Policy Analyst in DSET’s Energy Security and Climate Resilience Program, highlighted parallels between Taiwan and recent incidents in the Baltic Sea where undersea cables were damaged. Taiwan has experienced multiple cases of suspected undersea cable sabotage in recent years. She noted that in response to the risks posed by the PLA’s gray-zone activities and the potential for maritime blockades, Taiwan has been working to strengthen the resilience of its energy system through diversification of energy sources and distributed procurement strategies.
Samara Duerr, Policy Analyst in DSET’s National Security Program, discussed the global dominance of Chinese firms in the commercial drone market. Taiwan is currently working with the United States to promote a “non-red” supply chain for drones, aimed at building a component ecosystem that does not rely on Chinese suppliers. DSET’s research and interviews suggest that higher-end drone components are increasingly difficult to manufacture entirely within a single country. As a result, Taiwan, Japan, and European democracies will likely need to deepen cooperation across the drone supply chain. In an era of heightened geopolitical uncertainty, she emphasized that sustained technological innovation will be critical to strengthening national security and resilience.
Peter Tozzi, Policy Analyst in DSET’s Economic Security and Democratic Governance Program, noted that amid intensifying geopolitical competition and the global surge in artificial intelligence development, the Chinese government is providing significant state subsidies to support rapid expansion in mature-node semiconductor manufacturing. Through aggressive low-price strategies, these firms are seeking to capture global market share, creating pressure on international competitors. He also highlighted how China is using foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) alongside AI technologies to amplify disinformation campaigns that challenge democratic societies. As a mature democracy and a critical hub in the global semiconductor supply chain, Taiwan will continue to play an important role in advancing democratic technology cooperation and strengthening supply chain resilience.
