The Defense Review Talk (DRT) between the defense ministry and the US Department of Defense will take place next week in Washington D.C. The DRT is the highest level forum on military exchanges and collaborations between the two nations.
This will be the first meeting between the two nations’ defense officials since President Tsai took office last month. The officials are expected to go over key topics including future plans for military personnel exchange and training, Taiwan’s plans to purchase US-made aircraft trainers, and Taiwan’s development of submarines with US technologies.
According to an anonymous source, this will be the first time that an official from the National Security Council will join the meeting. The council’s Deputy Secretary-General Chen Wen-jeng, who the source called Tsai’s most trusted defense specialist, will be part of the Taiwanese delegation. The source said that Chen will help detail the DPP-led government’s defense strategies.