U.S.-Taiwan defense industry conference mulls future defense concepts

Taipei, Oct. 7 (CNA) An annual U.S.-Taiwan Defense Conference addressing U.S. defense cooperation with Taiwan will officially start in Maryland on Monday to discuss Taiwan's overall defense concept (ODC) and how emerging technologies could affect ODC plans, according to event organizers.

The Taiwanese delegation attending the 18th edition of the conference to be held Monday and Tuesday in Ellicott City will be headed by Taiwan's Vice Defense Minister General Chang Guan-chung (張冠群).

Chang will deliver a keynote address on the opening day after introductory remarks by American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Chairman James F. Moriarty.

Meanwhile, the U.S. government delegation will be headed by David F. Helvey, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs under the Department of Defense, who will give an address later in the day.

According to information available on the conference website, this year's event will open by discussing the future of Taiwan's ODC.

Follow-up sessions will examine the multi-faceted threat Taiwan faces; from lower level threats to medium-intensity threats and ultimately all-out war, it noted.

Such topics as political warfare, cybersecurity, subversion and disinformation, potential naval and aerospace blockades, embargoes, government decapitation plans, and limited ballistic missile strikes, are expected to be addressed during panel discussions.

Panelists will offer advice on Taiwan's possible response strategies and the role the U.S. and other Taiwan allies may play to help Taiwan defend itself, it noted.

Other speakers and panelists will include retired Taiwanese admiral Chen Yeong-kang, Ian Easton, a research fellow at U.S.-based think tank Project 2049 Institute, and Taiwanese defense expert Alexander Huang (黃介正), a professor at New Taipei-based Tamkang University, among others.

Huang, who also serves as a defense and diplomatic affairs advisor to opposition Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) told reporters that he would also use this opportunity to convey the party's defense policy to the U.S. side.

(By Wang Cheng-chung and Joseph Yeh)

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