Lithuanian, Taiwanese businesses agree to jointly develop drone technology, industry

VILNIUS - Lithuanian and Taiwanese business representatives have agreed to jointly develop drone technology and industry.

The Lithuanian Defense and Security Industries Association signed a memorandum of understanding with the Taiwan Excellence Drone International Business Opportunities Alliance and the Taiwan Defense Industry Development Association in Vilnius on Thursday.

The agreement, reached at the Lithuanian-Taiwanese Drone Industry Business Forum in Vilnius, calls for creating a cooperation platform and promoting bilateral investment in the development of Lithuanian and Taiwanese drone technologies, as well as boosting global competitiveness.

Lithuanian manufacturers say that their drones outperform Western counterparts because they have been tested in real combat conditions, making them attractive to Taipei, which faces an assertive China in its neighborhood.

"Our countries must deepen collaboration in key technology sectors to protect our free and open way of life," Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said at the forum.

"Together with Lithuania and other economic partners, Taiwan will do its part to help to secure prosperous future," he added.

Lin said that both Vilnius and Taipei face security challenges and aggressive neighbors, making collaboration in drone production very important.

"I have no doubt that we will continue to expand the ties we have and that our bilateral cooperation will flourish and create (...) new opportunities in defense," Lithuanian Deputy Defense Minister Monika Korolioviene said at the event.

TAIWAN SEEN AS COMPONENT SUPPLIER, POTENTIAL EXPORT MARKET

Wang Ting-yu, chairman of the foreign affairs and national defense committee in Taiwan's parliament, said that the joint business platform aims to encourage Taiwanese companies to invest in Lithuania and purchase Lithuanian-made components for drones.

"This is the start; we are trying to encourage the cooperation of Taiwan and Lithuania in semiconductors and drones," he told reporters at the forum.

Wang added that Taiwan and Lithuania also expect to assist Ukraine in developing landmine-detecting drones.

Jonas Steikunas, CEO of Lithuania's defense technology company Unmanned Defense Systems, said that he sees Taiwan as both a supplier of components and a potential export market for drones.

Steikunas noted that his company’s products have been tested in real combat conditions in Ukraine and are used by the Lithuanian military.

"Our products are designed to protect against aggressors. Taiwan faces similar threats. (...) Our equipment has been tested in extremely challenging battlefield conditions," he told reporters.

Igor Finyak, co-founder of the Kyiv-based military aerial technology company Skyassist, called the Taiwan-Lithuania platform a great opportunity for Ukraine, which aims to completely stop importing Chinese drone components.

"We are very actively interested; we want to exit China entirely. We can produce many things ourselves but are looking for certain parts to cut ourselves off from China," he told BNS.

The forum, organized by Innovation Agency Lithuania, brought together 30 companies from Lithuania, 20 from Taiwan, and at least 10 from Ukraine.