On October 22, 2025, a delegation of scholars and think tank representatives from various European countries visited the Research Institute for Democracy, Society, and Emerging Technology (DSET). They held in-depth exchanges with the research team on topics including Taiwan’s energy security, the resilience of its UAV (drone) industry, and challenges posed by regional gray-zone tactics.

In its opening presentation, DSET’s National Security Program shared its research on UAV development, noting that Taiwan is actively advancing the domestic production of drones, with an annual output projected to reach 180,000 units by 2028, far exceeding current capacity. However, while Taiwan’s UAV exports to Europe have grown significantly, institutionalized cooperation between the two sides remains limited, hindering deeper industrial integration — a key area for future Taiwan–Europe collaboration.

In the field of economic security research, DSET CEO Jeremy Chang introduced the institute’s latest report, emphasizing that beyond mature-node semiconductors, China is also expanding subsidies for its memory chip industry, threatening the global market share of democratic allies. If this trend continues, Europe — where mature-node chips dominate production — will be among the first to be affected. DSET reiterated its call for U.S.–EU countermeasures against Chinese industrial subsidies.

Report link: The Rise of CXMT: Inside the Hydra-like Chinese Memory Sector

On energy security, the delegation expressed concern over recent Chinese military exercises increasingly targeting Taiwan’s energy infrastructure. DSET’s Energy Resilience Director, Tsai-Ying Lü, responded by presenting power supply simulations under a potential Taiwan Strait blockade scenario, noting that European insurance firms providing coverage for energy transport vessels and the movements of European naval forces would become crucial actors in such circumstances. She highlighted the importance of deeper Taiwan–Europe dialogue on these issues.

The Energy Resilience Program also shared findings from its recent report, “Vulnerabilities and Supply Chain Risks of Power Cables Under China’s Rise,” which compares Taiwan’s and Europe’s experiences with undersea cable disruptions and examines China’s growing dominance in subsea cable component supply chains. The report calls for joint Taiwan–Europe monitoring and countermeasures to mitigate these shared risks.

Visiting delegation members included:

  • Dr. Jean-Pierre Cabestan, Senior Researcher, French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS)
  • Dr. Gudrun Wacker, Senior Fellow, German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP)
  • Dr. Mathieu Duchâtel, Director, Asia Program, Institut Montaigne
  • Dr. Tamas Matura, Associate Professor, Corvinus University of Budapest
  • Dr. Ingrid d’Hooghe, Senior Research Fellow, Clingendael Institute
  • Dr. Thomas Eder, Research Fellow, Austrian Institute for International Affairs (oiip)