Taiwan Orders Teardowns on Two-Drone Buys After a Supplier Is Accused of Hiding Chinese Chips
Taiwan's defense ministry will require teardown inspections even on unit orders of two or four drones, after a court ordered two executives of supplier Jiin Ming Industry detained.
Taiwan's defense ministry will require teardown inspections even on unit orders of two or four drones, after a court ordered two executives of supplier Jiin Ming Industry detained.
Taiwan's military will tear down drones bought in lots as small as two aircraft, Defense Minister Wellington Koo said on Oct. 13. A day earlier, prosecutors announced the detention of two executives at a supplier accused of fitting China-made parts.
Larger contracts showed no problems, Koo told reporters. Unit orders of two or four drones had gone without teardown inspections. "We will therefore require these inspections even for small-value purchases of military units in order to prevent the possible concealment of parts associated with China's supply chain," he added.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Taiwan's defense ministry change?
Defense Minister Wellington Koo said on Oct. 13 that teardown inspections will be required even for unit-level orders of two or four drones. Those small purchases had not been inspected that way before, he told reporters.
What is Jiin Ming Industry accused of?
The Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office suspects the company and a subsidiary of installing prohibited China-made chips and camera lenses in drones supplied under military contracts and submitting false certificates of origin. These are allegations under investigation.
Who was detained?
A Taoyuan court ordered Vice Chairman and President Chien Hao-ting and business manager Chen Yang-cheng held incommunicado for two months from Oct. 9. Chien admitted the conduct at the detention hearing and Chen denied it, according to the court.
How big is Jiin Ming's defense business?
The company put drones at about 3.3% of revenue through September 2026, including defense-related orders at about 1.1%. Its shares hit the daily limit-down on Oct. 12, Manager Today reported.
Has this happened before?
Yes. In August, Ciaotou prosecutors sought to detain two people after Hang Jian Technology won an 8th Army Corps drone contract with a NT$2.95 million bid. The corps found Chinese-made components during an inspection and withheld payment, per the Taipei Times.
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Marcus Schuler
Marcus Schuler edits BattlePolicy, a daily defense-technology brief connecting the companies and capabilities behind modern war to the contest among Europe, the US, Russia, and China.