On March 27, a delegation from the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) visited the DSET. DSET President Tu Wen-Ling and the National Security Research Team met with AEI Senior Fellow Dan Blumenthal and Research Assistant Alexis Turek to exchange views on Taiwan’s defense technology development, lessons from the war in Ukraine, drone strategy, and Taiwan-U.S. defense cooperation.
President Tu shared insights into the prospects of Taiwan’s domestic defense industry, with both sides focusing on how innovative technologies and industrial collaboration could enhance Taiwan’s research and development capabilities in drone and autonomous defense systems. AEI’s Dan Blumenthal introduced the “Coalition Defense of Taiwan” (CDOT) initiative, a joint project between AEI and the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The initiative explores strategies for assembling a coalition of the U.S. and its allies to deter Chinese aggression against Taiwan and, if necessary, to defeat the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
The discussions also highlighted Taiwan’s strengths in the semiconductor and AI industries, which serve as key drivers of defense technology innovation. Taiwan’s advanced manufacturing capabilities and high design flexibility were identified as crucial factors for joint development with the U.S. in next-generation unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
DSET’s National Security Research Team emphasized that the development of autonomous drone systems is not only essential for enhancing defense capabilities but also a critical means of addressing gray-zone threats. Furthermore, allied nations such as Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and Ukraine could collaborate on combat learning and jointly produce drones, contributing to the establishment of a non-PRC supply chain.
The meeting also touched on President Lai Ching-te’s recent introduction of 17 national security measures. The AEI delegation noted that these measures align closely with their research recommendations and contribute to strengthening Taiwan’s societal resilience and defense capabilities.
At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides agreed that in light of the current geopolitical landscape, Taiwan must build a more agile and innovative defense technology ecosystem. They also acknowledged the potential for increased collaboration with like-minded partners in the Indo-Pacific region.