President-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday visited the nation’s main weapons research and development institute to learn more about the defense industry, one of the areas she has pledged to bolster after she takes office on May 20.
During her visit to the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology in Taoyuan, Tsai was briefed on the institute’s projects, including the Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missile and the Tien Kung III surface-to-air missile, both of which are locally developed and constitute the nation’s main missile systems.
Tsai was also briefed on the institute’s Cardinal Mini-UAV (uncrewed aerial vehicle) that can be launched by hand, as well as telecommunications systems, electromagnetic protection systems, power storage systems and the ground control center of an international space project called Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer.
Photo: CNA
During the one-hour tour, Tsai tested a 3D device that simulates a communications system used by military personnel in various military vehicles.
Tsai was greeted and accompanied by institute president Chang Kuan-chun (張冠群) to learn more about the developments in the local defense industry.
One main focus of Tsai’s campaign platform was a pledge to bolster the development of five major industries in Taiwan, including the defense industry, in an effort to boost the nation’s economy.
Tsai has said that her administration will make every effort to build a self-reliant defense industry by contracting local companies and institutes for arms procurement if the weapons and military equipment can be manufactured locally.
Tsai’s visit to the institute was part of a tour to enable her to learn more about the developments in various industries in the nation.
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