EDITORIAL: Expanding domestic arms productionTaiwan and the US plan to jointly produce 155mm artillery shells to meet growing demand, Armaments Bureau Director-General Lieutenant General Lin Wen-hsiang (林文祥) said on Monday. Domestic production would facilitate such an arrangement and improve Taiwan’s resilience against a potential blockade. Doing so could open the door to compromise over spending priorities, and to a substantive discussion of whether domestic munitions production is economically viable and in Taiwan’s long-term interest. Joint munitions production with the US could significantly improve Taiwan’s defense self-reliance. The ruling and opposition parties should engage seriously on the issue, weighing the long-term economic and security benefits to the nation.
