INDSR anniversary speech
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INDSR anniversary speech
by Chairman Kent Feng
30 April 2019
by Chairman Kent Feng
30 April 2019
English translation
to be checked against delivery
How time flies. Tomorrow marks the first year of the establishment of the Institute for National Defense and Security Research.
In this one year, with the assistance of the Ministry of National Defense and the National Chung-shan Institute of Science and Technology, we completed our network infrastructure, information security and hardware facility procurement.
We built up a library, while also expanding our research and publications – in English and Chinese languages – on defense security and military developments.
Most importantly, we completed three annual assessment reports – the Security Environment in the Indo-Pacific Region; the PRC’s Political and Military Developments; and Trends of Defense Technology – along with four special projects for the Ministry of National Defense, which all provided recommendations for national defense policy and strategy.
In August last year, the institute conducted and took part in a political-military war game. In September, with Rand Corp of the United States, we jointly organized a small forum of "Taiwan's Southward Pivot”. Then in October, in view of the importance of information security, the institute hosted an international conference on "Cybersecurity Governance and China’s Sharp Power”. Think tanks and experts from seven countries participated.
In particular, one of the conference’s keynotes on “Military Cyber Threats and Responses” from Lt General Ma Ying-han, Commander of the Information Communications and Electronic Force Command of the Ministry of National Defense, was very well received.
Near the start of this year, we invited our military fellows and others to take part in a cyber war game, also with good results.
In this past year we have hosted think tanks, delegations and media representing 19 countries in all kinds of discussions and exchanges. We have also participated in international conferences abroad eight times and signed three MOUs with foreign think tanks and a university.
This year, we will host visiting scholars who are prominent in think tanks abroad at our institute to expand Track Two exchanges and cooperation in national defense affairs.
What has given us great honor is our military fellows exchange, which we have with the Ministry of National Defense, each of the armed services commands and the National Defense University. These fellows in residency stay with us for one year or one month.
We have invited experts, academics, our strategic consultants and our advisory committee members to lecture at the institute on matters of national defense and the political and military developments of the PRC. There have been more than 30 of this type of small discussions and forums. We spare no effort to train strategic researchers.
Those are some of the highlights of the past year, some of which can be referenced on our website.
I have the responsibility to let you know that as early as 2010, the defense ministry invited experts from industry, government and academia about setting up an entity like a research institution for national defense and security. Through the guidance of four defense ministers, and after President Tsai Ing-wen took office in May 2016, as well as after several rounds of discussions, the mandate was given in October 2017 to establish a national level “Institute for National Defense and Security Research”.
I was elected by our board as the inaugural chairman. I am deeply honored and I want to take this opportunity to pay my highest respects to those who took part in the preparatory work to help set up this institute.
Distinguished guests, I must tell you that it is the support and assistance of Defense Minister Yen and Director General Miao of the Department of Integrated Assessment [of the Ministry of
National Defense] and their colleagues who have enabled our smooth and rapid growth. We will work harder to return their efforts.
I also want to express my gratitude to the Armed Forces Reserve Command, Commander Chou and his team who have shown us every consideration in our accommodation, environment and hardware needs. On behalf of the institute, let me offer a special thanks.
Lastly, thank you to all the distinguished guests today for your care and support and to accept our invitation to come celebrate with us our first anniversary.
In the coming year, please continue to cheer for us and do not hesitate to offer guidance so that our institute can deepen our roots, aim higher and grow stronger to truly be a national level – Institute for National Defense and Security Research.
Thank you! I wish everyone health and success!
