Taiwan tests sea drones as China's military pressure continues
With Beijing sustaining military pressure on the island, Taiwan is increasing investment in aerial and maritime drones, which have been widely used in Russia's war in Ukraine to outfox traditional heavy weaponry.
China claims Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring it under its control.
Twelve local and foreign companies took part in an Uncrewed Sea Vehicle (USV) demonstration hosted by the government's National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) in Yilan, southeast of Taipei.
It was an opportunity for 'potential clients such as the military and coast guard' to collect data from the drone manufacturers for future mass production, the institute said in a statement.
Taiwanese shipbuilder Lungteh's Black Tide sea drone, which is designed to operate in 'contested environments', was one of three USVs put through its paces.
With a top speed of more than 43 knots (80 kilometres per hour; 50 miles per hour), the Black Tide can be used for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and 'one-way strike', according to the company.
Meanwhile, Carbon-Based Technology Inc's 'stealth' USV could carry bombs and was cheap enough to conduct 'sacrificial' missions, said company director Stacy Yu after the drone was tested.
US defence technology company Auterion also signed a deal with Taiwan for its 'battle-tested' operating system and swarming technology to be used in a new generation of military drones.
While President Lai Ching-te has pledged to make Taiwan 'the Asian hub' for drone production, there have been challenges to ramping up the island's output.
Taiwan's annual production capacity for aerial drones is between 8,000 to 10,000 units, well below its 2028 target of 180,000 units, the Research Institute for Democracy, Society and Emerging Technology (DSET) said in a report on Monday.
High manufacturing costs from using non-China components made it 'difficult for Taiwanese products to compete with Chinese-made products in the commercial market', DSET analysts said.
And limited domestic orders and a scarcity of foreign government contracts were also impeding 'further scaling' of production, it said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTHK
15 hours ago
- RTHK
Trump says trade deal struck with Vietnam
Trump says trade deal struck with Vietnam Trump said the United States will charge a 20-percent tariff for Vietnamese exports into America, and a 40-percent levy for trans-shipments. File photo: Reuters US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he had struck a trade deal with Vietnam under which the country would face a minimum 20 percent tariff and open its market to US products. The deal comes a week ahead of Trump's self-imposed July 9 deadline for steeper tariffs on US trade partners to take effect if agreements had not been reached. Trump initially announced that the trade deal had been reached, without providing details. "It is my Great Honor to announce that I have just made a Trade Deal with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam after speaking with To Lam, the Highly Respected General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. He said that under the "Great Deal of Cooperation," imports of Vietnamese goods will face a 20 percent US tariff, while goods that pass through Vietnam from other countries, or trans-shipments, will see a steeper 40 percent tariff. "In return, Vietnam will do something that they have never done before, give the United States of America Total Access to their Markets for Trade," he said. "In other words, they will 'open their market to the United States,' meaning that we will be able to sell our product into Vietnam at ZERO Tariff," he added. The president said he believed US-made SUVs, "which do so well in the United States, will be a wonderful addition to the various product lines within Vietnam." General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam welcomed a new trade agreement with the United States during a phone call with Trump, Vietnam News Agency reported. He urged Washington to soon recognise Vietnam as a market economy and to lift export restrictions on certain high-tech goods. The two leaders also discussed major directions and measures to further strengthen the Vietnam-US comprehensive strategic partnership in the coming years. Trump's announcement comes a week before the US has threatened to reimpose steep tariffs on dozens of economies, including the EU and Japan, many of which are still scrambling to reach deals that would protect them from the measures. Those higher tariffs are part of a package Trump initially imposed in April, citing a lack of "reciprocity" in trading relationships, before announcing a temporary lowering to 10 percent. Without a deal, Vietnam's "reciprocal tariff" would have risen from the baseline 10 percent to 46 percent. Since April, Washington had so far only announced a pact with Britain and a deal to temporarily lower retaliatory duties with China. Both involve the United States maintaining some of Trump's tariffs on the trading partners. (AFP/Xinhua)
AllAfrica
6 days ago
- AllAfrica
Malaysia quietly flying Turkish drones over South China Sea
In June 2025, Malaysia took a decisive yet understated step in fortifying its maritime domain awareness by confirming the deployment of three Turkish-made Anka‑S unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). These medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) drones will operate from Labuan, with the first sorties expected to commence later this year over the South China Sea. Yet the symbolism of such deployments—especially in a region as fraught and strategically sensitive as the South China Sea—must be carefully interpreted. This is not about picking sides between the United States and China. Nor is it a belligerent signal to any one power. Instead, Malaysia's choice reflects a doctrine of quiet diplomacy: one that prioritizes sovereignty without provocation, and preparedness without escalation. Whenever the South China Sea is invoked in regional headlines, it is often painted as a zero-sum contest between China and Southeast Asia. That portrayal misses the nuance of Malaysia's approach. For decades, Malaysia has pursued a policy of principled engagement—asserting its maritime rights under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) while maintaining constructive, often warm, ties with China. Malaysia's procurement of surveillance drones does not undermine that tradition. Rather, it reinforces our commitment to defend our interests with clarity and calm—not capitulation, nor confrontation. The Anka‑S, designed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), was chosen through a transparent international tender that included bids from the United States' General Atomics (offering the MQ‑9 Reaper) and China's AVIC (offering the Wing Loong II). That Malaysia selected Turkey was not a rejection of the US or China per se—it was a choice based on strategic fit, affordability, reliability, and non-politicized defence procurement. The Anka‑S platform, with its 24–30 hours of endurance, encrypted satellite communications, synthetic aperture radar, EO/IR cameras, ground-moving target indicators (GMTI), and Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) systems, provides a vital capability in monitoring activity across Malaysia's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) without compromising our diplomatic equilibrium. It is also essential to note that these drones are unarmed. They are surveillance platforms, not strike systems. Malaysia is not militarizing its maritime space; it is strengthening maritime situational awareness in a region with complex and overlapping claims, illegal fishing, piracy, and growing commercial activity. The message is straightforward: Malaysia is watching—not menacing. Malaysia is asserting its rights, not staking new claims. More than a defense acquisition, the Anka‑S symbolizes a maturing partnership between Malaysia and Turkey. As a Sectoral Dialogue Partner of ASEAN and NATO's second-largest military force, Turkey stands at a unique intersection of East and West. It maintains a robust relationship with both the United States and China and has earned a reputation for pursuing independent diplomacy. Turkey's strategic balance, reflected in its engagement with Russia, Europe, and the Muslim world, resonates with ASEAN's own non-aligned but active diplomacy. In many ways, Türkiye is a mirror of Malaysia's geopolitical posture: firm in its sovereignty, flexible in its partnerships. Turkey's defense industry also offers something often missing in dealings with traditional great powers—mutual respect and shared technological growth. The Anka‑S is a product of indigenous Turkish development, allowing greater room for customization, training, and potential co-production. In Malaysia's case, the infrastructure and training for the drones are being carried out in collaboration with local firm G7 Aerospace, enabling knowledge transfer and economic spillover benefits. Future upgrades, including weaponization (if Malaysia ever chooses that path), can be managed with full transparency and independence. So why Turkey and why now? The answer lies in both regional and global dynamics. ASEAN member states are becoming increasingly cautious in navigating the intensifying US-China rivalry. On one hand, the United States has urged allies and partners in Asia to increase defense spending and adopt its Indo-Pacific strategy, often with veiled suggestions of containment. On the other, China has expanded its military and coast guard presence in regional waters, testing the boundaries of maritime diplomacy. Yet Malaysia remains steadfastly neutral committed to peace, but not pacifism. The selection of Turkey is a clear signal that Malaysia can strengthen its defence posture without falling into the orbit of either superpower. The Anka‑S is not part of any military bloc or encirclement agenda. It is a tool of sovereign surveillance, rooted in international law and national interest. Türkiye also offers strategic reliability without overreach. It has forged strong defence ties with both NATO and non-NATO countries, including Pakistan, Qatar, and Indonesia. Its drones, including the Anka‑S and the famed Bayraktar TB2, have been combat-proven in multiple theatres—from Syria and Libya to Nagorno-Karabakh and Ukraine. While Malaysia is not adopting these UAVs for combat, the reliability and endurance of the Anka‑S speaks volumes about its maturity as a platform. Moreover, Türkiye is not just a defence provider—it is a geopolitical partner. Its increasing engagement with Southeast Asia through trade, cultural exchange, and religious diplomacy—particularly as a Muslim-majority nation—makes it a natural fit for deeper strategic relations with Malaysia and ASEAN. Its presence offers a third way for countries seeking alternatives to the binary of Washington and Beijing. In this context, Malaysia's decision to field the Anka‑S is not merely a technical or tactical decision. It is a quiet yet profound statement of national resolve. Malaysia seeks not to provoke, but to protect. Not to align blindly, but to cooperate wisely. We remain firm in our rights under UNCLOS, especially in defending our maritime zones—but we will continue to engage China, the United States, and all partners through dialogue and diplomacy. Let there be no misreading: Malaysia's vision of the South China Sea is not as a flashpoint of rival empires, but as a shared space requiring shared responsibility. With the Anka‑S circling above, Malaysia does not signal hostility—but capability. This is what sovereign agency looks like in the 21st century—eyes wide open, posture firm, diplomacy intact. Malaysia's approach to the South China Sea is neither naive nor aggressive. It is rooted in quiet strength, strategic foresight, and a refusal to be drawn into great power theatrics. By working with Turkey, a bridge between the Atlantic and Asia, Malaysia is building more than defense capacity—it is shaping a future where ASEAN nations assert their own narratives, on their own terms. Phar Kim Beng, PhD, is professor of ASEAN studies, International Islamic University Malaysia . Luthfy Hamzah is senior research fellow, Strategic Pan Indo Pacific Arena, Kuala Lumpur .
HKFP
6 days ago
- HKFP
Taiwan to slap anti-dumping duties on Chinese beer, steel for 4 months
Taiwan said Friday it will slap anti-dumping duties on Chinese-made beer and hot-rolled steel for four months from July 3, claiming 'substantial damage' to its industry. The finance ministry said in a statement that it and the economic affairs ministry 'have preliminarily determined that there is dumping (of these products) and it has caused substantial damage to domestic industry'. The ministry said the duties will be imposed for four months to 'prevent our industry from continuing to suffer damage during the investigation'. The levies on Chinese-made beer will range from 13.13 percent to 64.14 percent while for steel they will be either 16.9 percent or 20.15 percent, it added. In March, Taiwan launched anti-dumping probes into Chinese-made beer and some steel products following complaints of unfair competition. Tensions are already high between the two sides, with Beijing claiming the self-ruled island as part of its territory and threatening to use force to bring it under its control. Taiwan currently has anti-dumping duties on 10 products, including eight from China, which is its largest trade partner, official data show. China was the biggest source of beer imports to Taiwan last year, Bloomberg News reported, with shipments topping US$125 million last year. Taiwan was also looking at whether low prices of certain Chinese hot-rolled steel products resulting from 'long-standing overcapacity' in manufacturing were harming domestic players, according to the ministry.
