On the morning of December 19, Legislative Yuan Deputy Secretary General Dr. Chang Yu-Jung (張裕榮) attended the Inauguration Ceremony of the Trans-Pacific Unmanned Vehicle Parliamentary Alliance (TUVPA) Association, initiated by DPP Legislator Chung Chia-Pin. Distinguished guests in attendance included DPP Legislators Kuo Yu‑Ching, Dr. Wang Cheng‑Hsu, Dr. Fan Yun, Chen Kuan‑Ting, Lee Kuen‑Cheng, Dr. Lin Yueh‑Chin, Wang Mei‑Hui, and Chen Chun‑Yu; Deputy Director‑General Lin Hung‑Hsun of the Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Deputy Director‑General Hsu Ching‑Chih of the Coast Guard Administration, Ocean Affairs Council; Deputy Director‑General Hsu Chen‑Pang of the Department of Technological and Vocational Education, Ministry of Education; Colonel Yang Po‑Min, Deputy Director of the Department of Integrated Assessment, Ministry of National Defense; Deputy Director Chen Chiung‑Hua of the National Development Council; Deputy Director‑General Tsou Yu‑Hsin of the Industrial Development Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs; Deputy Director‑General Chou Chung‑Pin of the Department of Industrial Technology, Ministry of Economic Affairs; Director Chien Chih‑Hsiung of the Committee for Aviation and Space Industry Development, Ministry of Economic Affairs; Director Li Chien‑Chang of the Department of Information Management, Ministry of Health and Welfare; Deputy Chief Tung Hsin‑Hsin of the Public Security Division, National Police Agency; Director Kyra Vernice G. Salayog of the Consular Services Section, Manila Economic and Cultural Office; Chief Pham Minh Tien of the Science and Technology Division, Vietnam Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei; Economic Officer Nhu Vu of the American Institute in Taiwan; and President Peter Mattis of the Jamestown Foundation.
The inaugural ceremony began with a group photo of the distinguished guests, followed by Legislator Chung, the initiator, introducing the attendees. The organizational charter was then adopted and the president and vice president were elected. Deputy Secretary General Chang then gave his remarks and expressed that it was a great honor to attend the inaugural ceremony of the TUVPA Association on behalf of Legislative Yuan President Daniel K.Y. Han (韓國瑜). He further noted his pleasure at seeing representatives from many friendly nations present to jointly witness this important step taken by the Legislative Yuan in advancing Taiwan’s technological autonomy, strengthening defense resilience, and promoting regional cooperation.
Deputy Secretary General Chang stressed that in recent years, unmanned vehicle technology and manufacturing have developed rapidly and have been widely applied by various countries in both civilian and defense‑related fields. He highlighted that Taiwan must actively strengthen its capacity for independent research, development, and manufacturing, while deepening opportunities for cooperation with international partners, in order to secure a firm footing in the rapidly evolving technological competition.
Deputy Secretary General Chang further emphasized that countries in the Asia‑Pacific region face diverse challenges, including vast maritime areas, complex terrains, and frequent natural disasters. He noted that in the manufacturing and application of unmanned vehicles, there exist enormous market opportunities and potential for cooperation. He mentioned that as a hub of high‑tech development and manufacturing in the Asia‑Pacific region, Taiwan has in recent years continued to engage with allies and like‑minded countries on issues such as information security, drone standards, dual‑use technologies, and counter‑drone systems in the hope that, through technological and industrial cooperation, Taiwan can play a pivotal role in these areas and further deepen partnerships with friendly nations.
Deputy Secretary General Chang concluded by expressing his gratitude to Legislator Chung for establishing the TUVPA Association, demonstrating the Legislative Yuan’s commitment and determination to advance technological exchanges with democratic partners in the Asia‑Pacific. He pointed out that the development of unmanned vehicles is not merely a matter of technological competition, but must also uphold core values such as cybersecurity, human rights, responsible governance, and regional stability. He expressed his belief that the establishment of the TUVPA Association will facilitate broader and deeper exchanges between Taiwan and its Asia‑Pacific partners in the field of unmanned vehicles, aiming to jointly build a resilient, trustworthy, and sustainable industrial ecosystem. He also added that the Legislative Yuan will provide assistance as needed should the TUVPA Association require any administrative support in the future.
Following Deputy Secretary General Chang’s remarks, Director Salayog of the Consular Services Section, Manila Economic and Cultural Office, and Chief Pham of the Science and Technology Division, Vietnam Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei, also delivered congratulatory addresses. Subsequently, Chang Kun‑Yang, a research fellow of Chinese affairs at the Jamestown Foundation gave a presentation on unmanned vehicle intelligence, after which Vice President of the TUVPA Association Legislator Kuo conferred certificates of appointment to the consultants. In concluding the inaugural ceremony, President of the TUVPA Association Legislator Chung underscored the importance and aspirations of cooperating with Asia‑Pacific countries in the development of unmanned vehicles, and expressed his gratitude to all distinguished guests for their presence and support. The event ended successfully after approximately 40 minutes.
