INTERVIEW/U.S., Taiwan drone cooperation boosts security, industry: AIT director

Houston, May 20 (CNA) The United States and Taiwan cooperate in three key areas to develop drone technology, not only to enhance deterrence across the Taiwan Strait but also to grow the industry, American Institute in Taiwan's (AIT) Director Raymond Greene, said Tuesday.

Citing the success of the Ukrainian military in the Black Sea to neutralize Russia's modern naval fleet using a combination of drones and unmanned munitions, Greene said "the defense applications of drones are critically important to preserving peace and security in the Taiwan Strait."

The de facto U.S. ambassador to Taiwan sat down with CNA on Tuesday for an interview in Houston, where he toured XPONENTIAL, a trade show focused on the uncrewed industry, as part of his trip to attend the 2025 SELECTUSA Summit last week with a delegation of Taiwan investors.

Greene identified military and commercial drone applications as key areas for enhanced U.S.-Taiwan cooperation when he took office as AIT director last July, expressing hope that bringing together the U.S.' R&D skills and Taiwan's manufacturing strength could help boost drone industry growth.

Asked about the latest developments on that front, Greene said the cooperation focuses on three areas: applying artificial intelligence to drone operations, supply chain integration, and investment.

Greene contrasted past military advancements -- centered on GPS and precision-guided munitions -- with the future, which he said will be shaped by the application of AI technologies to improve survivability and effectiveness.

On supply chain integration, Greene said it would allow companies on both sides to have "a trusted network" where they can quickly verify and understand that their partners are free of components or other influence from potential adversaries, like the People's Republic of China.

Meanwhile, Greene said many Taiwan companies are already looking to invest in the U.S., partly to meet requirements that a certain percentage of components for Pentagon projects be made locally, and partly because they see a growing number of potential clients as more state and local governments stop buying drones from China due to security concerns.

Furthermore, Greene noted that the use of drones goes far beyond defense, covering everything from environmental tasks to emergency response, agriculture, and scientific research.

The Taiwan delegation was composed of over 180 businesspeople from more than 130 companies, with a focus on artificial intelligence, semiconductors, in addition to drones during the trip, according to the AIT director.

Traveling with the delegation, Greene said he had the chance to visit some U.S. and Taiwanese companies, which made him appreciate how closely the U.S. and Taiwan work together across the entire artificial intelligence supply chain.

Another takeaway from speaking with both American and Taiwanese companies is "how much these three sectors are actually working together to advance the frontiers of US Taiwan competitiveness," Greene said.

All of this work leads to not only economic resilience and economic benefits for the United States and Taiwan, but also helps achieve President Trump's goal of re-industrializing the U.S, he added.

Looking ahead, Greene said that besides continuing cooperation in these three areas, there will be more focus on "advanced manufacturing."

"Taiwan has such a dynamic robotics industry," Greene said. "We think there's great opportunities to bring that sector to the United States to help further develop the U.S. industrial base."