Defense Minister Cautiously Optimistic on Arms Deal – May 19, 2026
Taiwan Defense Minister Wellington Koo says he's cautiously optimistic about US arms sales. The World Health Organization has denied Taiwan's application for observer status for another year. And AI-augmented robots are being trained in a southern Taiwan science park. Plus: - Taiwan marks White Terror Memorial Day with reenactments, exhibits and reflections to remember the period's political victims. - Conservationists notice that one of the Penghu Islands' migratory bird species has not returned during a peak nesting period. - TaiwanPlus speaks with the president of the nation's leading military research institute to talk about the importance of drones to Taiwan's defense. A previous version of this report had a name strap that referred to Chang Pei-zen as the director of ITRI. The video has been updated to reflect his position as the president of the institute.
