It would disrupt shipping, unsettle technology supply chains, and expose the region to economic and strategic shocks. However, for Southeast Asia the key point is different: Taiwan’s semiconductor strength is becoming part of its defense logic. At last year’s Taipei Aerospace and Defense Technology Exhibition, Taiwanese institutions announced coproduction and codevelopment projects with US firms in loitering munitions and uncrewed aerial vehicle platforms. Closer engagement with Taiwan’s technology sectors could support diversification, industrial upgrading and regional resilience. Still, one thing is increasingly clear: Taiwan’s defense technology shift is not a side story to regional security.

Source: Taipei Times April 02, 2026 17:47 UTC