Monday, September 15, 2025 from 12:00PM – 1:30PM (ET)
In-person and Webcast
Event Description:
The Global Taiwan Institute is pleased to invite you to a panel discussion titled “Taiwan’s China-Free Drone Production: Successes and Continued Challenges.”
As the war in Ukraine has demonstrated, drones are increasingly becoming a critical component in modern warfare. However, China has developed a near-monopoly in certain sectors of global drone production. With Chinese drone components flooding the world market, it is nearly impossible for countries to avoid reliance on Chinese parts. This poses significant national security concerns for countries like the United States and its partners, with Taiwan being no small exception. Unlike most other countries, Taiwan has the ability to produce the technical and dual-use components necessary to mass-produce indigenous drones without Chinese components. However, this is not to say that Taiwan’s domestic drone industry does not face its own challenges.
In this event, we will discuss Taiwan’s successes and continued challenges in drone manufacturing; the kinds of policies Taiwan and the United States should explore to facilitate decoupling from China; and how supply chain integration between the United States and Taiwan can be mutually beneficial, as well as the progress that has been made on this front.
Joining our discussion will be three expert panelists who will share their perspectives. Matthew Fulco, a journalist for Aviation Week, will discuss Taiwan’s successes and challenges in the field of indigenous drone production. Lotta Danielsson, Vice President of the US-Taiwan Business Council, will share her thoughts on the policy hurdles to building China-free drone supply chains. Dr. Hong-Lun Tiunn, the Deputy Director of the National Security Program at the Research Institute for Democracy, Society, and Emerging Technology (DSET), will discuss the prospects for US-Taiwan co-production.
The Panelists:
Hong-Lun Tiunn currently serves as deputy director of the National Security Program at DSET, where he leads strategic projects on Taiwan–US drone co-production, LEO satellite policy, subsea cable resilience, and critical infrastructure protection. His research focuses on dual-use technologies, emerging tech, and the resilience of democratic supply chains. Dr. Tiunn’s recent work explores test and application frameworks for AI-enabled defense systems and the restructuring of secure technology supply chains. He is also a PhD candidate in health policy at George Washington University and an alumnus of the US Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). He holds degrees from Taipei Medical University (BS), National Taiwan University (MS), and the University of Rochester (MPH). He previously served as chief policy aide in the office of a Taiwanese legislator, where he led initiatives on legislation in health, environment, and national defense.
Matthew Fulco is business editor for Aviation Week, focusing on commercial aerospace and defense. He previously worked as a journalist in Taiwan for eight years, covering semiconductor supply chains, defense and geopolitics. Prior to that he was based in Shanghai for five years covering the technology and hospitality sectors. He is proficient in Mandarin Chinese and French. Matthew holds a Master of International Affairs from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University and a BA in History from Kenyon College.
Lotta Danielsson is the executive vice president of the US-Taiwan Business Council, a non-profit organization dedicated to developing the trade and commercial relationship between the United States and Taiwan. She is also a non-resident fellow at the National Bureau of Asian Research.
The Moderator:
Jonathan Harman is an operations associate at the Global Taiwan Institute. Jonathan graduated from Brigham Young University with a BA in political science and a minor in Asian studies. He previously studied at National Taiwan University and was GTI’s 2024 Ya-Hui Chiu Summer Fellow. Jonathan is also a former intern at the Heritage Foundation’s Center for National Defense.
The event will be held at the GTI office located at 1836 Jefferson Place NW in Washington DC (approximately one block from the Dupont Circle Metro). Doors will open at 11:30 AM, and the event will begin at 12:00 PM. If you plan on attending in-person, please RSVP by September 14, as seating is limited. A light lunch will be provided. Please direct questions or concerns to Senior Programs Manager Adrienne Wu at awu@globaltaiwan.org.
**Media: Please contact Yuchen Lee at ylee@globaltaiwan.org if you would like to bring additional crew members or equipment, so that we can be sure to accommodate you.