TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's aerospace ambitions took center stage at the prestigious Paris Air Show this week as the Economic Development Bureau of Kaohsiung (高雄市經發局), a major industrial city in southern Taiwan, announced on Wednesday (June 18) that Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC, 漢翔公司), Taiwan's premier aircraft manufacturer, is heading the national delegation at the global aviation event. The company's participation follows its strategic expansion with a new forging plant at its Gangshan (岡山) manufacturing complex in April, a facility specifically designed to enhance the quality and technical specifications of domestically produced engine forging materials for the aerospace industry.
According to the official statement, AIDC has drawn significant international interest at the aviation exhibition through its display of sophisticated aircraft engine components and cutting-edge research and development products manufactured in its Kaohsiung facilities. Director-General Liao Tai-hsiang (廖泰翔) of the Economic Development Bureau emphasized the strategic importance of the exhibition for showcasing Kaohsiung's emergence as Taiwan's aerospace manufacturing powerhouse, noting that the southern port city now generates more than 30% of Taiwan's total aerospace production value, which reached approximately NT$146.648 billion (about US$4.96 billion) in 2024, marking a significant milestone for the island's high-tech industrial diversification efforts.
AIDC President Ma Wan-june (馬萬鈞), who is personally heading the company's delegation at the Paris exhibition, highlighted the significance of AIDC's enduring strategic partnership with Japanese industrial giant Kawasaki Robotics, which is currently structured through a three-year procurement agreement. The collaboration specifically focuses on production of components for the advanced Trent XWB-97K engine, a high-efficiency power plant used in long-haul commercial aircraft, and represents one of Taiwan's most successful international aerospace partnerships, having continuously evolved since its initial formation in 2016 and now approaching its tenth year of operation.
The Economic Development Bureau further emphasized Kaohsiung's unique position as Taiwan's sole provider of specialized training programs for the internationally recognized National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program (NADCAP), a critical certification system that enables suppliers to participate in global aerospace supply chains. This certification capability represents a significant competitive advantage for the region, with municipal officials pointing to the city's substantial investment in industry development through its support of 80 local enterprises in achieving these rigorous international standards, including a comprehensive subsidy program that covers the full cost of tuition for trainees from Kaohsiung-based companies seeking to enter the aerospace sector. ◼
