At the opening of the 2025 Taipei Aerospace and Defense Technology Exhibition (TADTE), American Institute in Taiwan Acting Deputy Director Karin M. Lang said the event underscores Taiwan’s role as an indispensable part of the global defense supply chain.

The biennial exhibition, organized by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council, opened Thursday at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center with a record 490 defense firms from 15 countries.

This year’s theme, “Future Defense, Boundless Innovation,” highlights advanced defense technology, sustainable flight, resilient supply chains, and unmanned futures. Major U.S. defense contractors, including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and L3 Harris, are among the exhibitors.

The council said Taiwan is leveraging its strengths in semiconductors, ICT, and precision manufacturing to strengthen domestic R&D and supply chain resilience. The exhibition also showcases the nation’s focus on asymmetric warfare, with the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology unveiling several new drone systems.

Lang noted that 40 U.S. companies are participating this year—twice the number from 2023—reflecting Taiwan’s growing market importance and the deepening of U.S.–Taiwan economic ties.

Lang said, “Taiwan’s aerospace and defense industries have demonstrated remarkable growth and maturity. Indigenous defense programs, precision manufacturing, and technological innovation have won global recognition, while Taiwanese suppliers are critical nodes in global defense supply chains.”

Defense Minister Wellington Koo (顧立雄) told reporters that military exchanges between Taiwan and the U.S. remain frequent, with both sides aligned on bolstering Taiwan’s defense autonomy and resilient combat capabilities.

“In the future, we will continue to solidify progress in related areas of defense capability, whether through technical cooperation or localized production,” Koo said. “I believe we will explore these matters further.”