US-Taiwan Defense Industry Forum: Huang Chih-fang calls for resilient Indo-Pacific defense ecosystem

The 2026 US-Taiwan Defense Industry Forum, co-hosted by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) and the US-Taiwan Business Council, took place today. Former US Army Pacific Commander Charles Flynn led a delegation of over 40 US industry representatives to Taiwan. Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the US-Taiwan Business Council, stated that trust and friendship require time and reliable partnerships, citing the collaboration between TSMC, NVIDIA, and AMD as a model for business relations. Hammond-Chambers warned that with the imminent threat from the CCP, there is no time for a 40-year growth trajectory like TSMC's; the US and Taiwan must accelerate cooperation to establish large-scale manufacturing platforms to ensure national security. TAITRA Chairman Huang Chih-fang noted that Taiwan's industrial capabilities, which have supported the digital world for decades, are now of strategic significance. He proposed that Taiwan should be viewed as a trusted partner rather than just a supplier, and outlined three pillars for cooperation: dual-use technology, continuous partnership beyond crisis management, and building resilient, transparent, and efficient regional supply chains.