President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said on Wednesday, August 5, that Taiwan hopes to deepen exchanges and cooperation with the United States as the island works toward becoming Asia’s hub for drone development, citing challenges posed by the expansion of authoritarianism, global supply chain realignment, and the AI wave. Lai made the remarks while receiving a delegation from the Brookings Institution, thanking the think tank for its long-standing attention to Taiwan and calling its research a vital bridge for mutual understanding between Taipei and Washington. 

Lai noted that this year marks both the 250th anniversary of American independence and the 30th anniversary of Taiwan’s direct presidential elections, and pointed to the sixth U.S.-Taiwan Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue (EPPD), held earlier this year, as a cornerstone of semiconductor and tech cooperation. Furthermore, he emphasized Taiwan’s ambition to become an “AI island” by advancing silicon photonics, quantum technology, and robotics, while directing significant defense resources toward drones to bolster growth in the unmanned vehicle sector. 

"We firmly believe there is room for closer exchange and cooperation between Taiwan and the U.S. in AI supply chain development, digital infrastructure and high-tech talent cultivation, and we look forward to working together to build a non-red drone supply chain," Lai said.

Brookings’ Ryan Hass, director of the John L. Thornton China Center, said the institute’s annual visits reflect its commitment to shared democratic values.