2021 US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference

The main US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference website is located at www.taiwandefenseconference.com.

The 2021 US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference was held in person October 10-12, 2021 at the Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg, Virginia. This was the 20th annual event in a series of ongoing conferences addressing the future of U.S. defense cooperation with Taiwan, the defense procurement process, and Taiwan’s defense and national security needs.

This year, the conference opened with a discussion on the evolving threat in the Taiwan Strait. The opening session examined how the threat picture for Taiwan is changing, given that the PRC is intensifying its threat posture towards Taiwan and intensifying its incursions into the Taiwan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). We also discussed how Taiwan, the U.S., and their regional allies could potentially respond.

The second session examined the big picture of Taiwan’s overarching defense strategy. As the overarching approach drives both policy and acquisitions, this session discussed current strategic thinking in Taiwan. We also considered the U.S. view of that approach, and how reconciling differences could provide insights into areas ripe for further development and cooperation. The third session discussed national security as a whole-of-society approach, including ways to enhance supply chain security, how to leverage public/private partnerships to support defensive priorities, and how civic defense and civic mobilization could help Taiwan enhance deterrence and improve resilience.

The fourth session considered how the two sides are continuing to explore ways to deepen business relationships in the defense sector. Building on the discussion at the June 2021 Taiwan-U.S. Defense Business Forum, this session focused on new approaches to bind the defense industries on both sides closer together, as well as to support future defense and security cooperation efforts.

The fifth and final session discussed how the Taiwan defense industrial base has continued to develop, and examined some past and current programs where the U.S. and Taiwan have cooperated to support indigenous production of key systems for the Taiwan military. The panel discussed how to build on what has worked in the past, and how to surface ideas and opportunities for potential future collaboration.

Keynote speakers at the 2021 US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference included senior representatives from the Taiwan and U.S. governments, along with a representative from the current Taiwan opposition party.

Keynote Introduction by James Moriarty, AIT Chairman (as delivered)

Keynote by Major General Chien-Feng (Race) Yu, Director General of the Defense Mission, TECRO

Keynote by Dr. Dennis Weng, representing the KMT (as drafted)

Visit the main US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference website at www.taiwandefenseconference.com.