Taiwan drone company receives Estonian delegation, eyes cooperation

Taipei, Feb. 8 (CNA) Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. (AIDC) on Friday received an Estonian delegation at its drone production line, with aspirations to deepen cooperation with the Baltic country, according to a Saturday news release.

The delegation was led by Estonian lawmaker Kristo Enn Vaga, chairman of the Estonia-Taiwan Support Group of the Parliament of Estonia, and included lawmaker and former defense minister Kalle Laanet as well as representatives of several Estonian defense industry companies, the release by the Taiwan Excellence Drone International Business Opportunities Alliance (Tediboa) said.

AIDC Chairman Hu Kai-hung (胡開宏), who heads the Tediboa, said that Estonia is competitive in fields that include digital technology, drone application and defense technology.

Coupled with Taiwan's complete supply chain, cooperation between the two countries would create synergy, he said.

The alliance said that while Estonia is far from Taiwan, the two countries share similar experience in democratic development and therefore share ideas on the importance of constructing a democratic supply chain.

The Tediboa was established by the Ministry of Economic Affairs in September 2024 and currently has more than 160 members.

Hu said that the alliance combines the specialties of each member and integrates the whole supply chain from upstream to downstream operations, with the goal of obtaining government-to-government orders, as well as constructing a domestic "non-red supply chain."

AIDC's role in the alliance is counter-drone system development, as well as assistance on drone production and testing, he said.