Taiwan – The Morakot typhoon in Taiwan forced organisers to cancel the grand opening of this year’s Taipei Aerospace and Defence Technology Exhibition (TADTE).
Both the opening air show and static display at the biennial event, which runs 13-16 August, were cancelled after the military was recruited for relief missions in areas in southern Taiwan destroyed in the storms.
The official death toll has now passed 100, with authorities – under criticism for not doing more to secure the safety of citizens – warning that numbers will rise. The figure jumped sharply after 32 people were discovered entombed in mud in Liukuai.
A spokesman for the company told Exhibition World that despite the natural disaster, the event is still going ahead at the Taipei World Trade Centre. However, the air show and static display opening at the Songshan Air Force Base were cancelled.
This year’s TADTE unites almost 100 exhibitors occupying 680 stands, described by the organiser as a ‘huge increase’ on the 2007 event. Exhibitors include producers of weapons and equipment, simulation systems, space and defence technology, as well as research, development and education agencies.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence pavilion, the largest yet, will be among the main focus points of the exhibition, following comments in the 2009 Defense Review that indicate the national defence force will be subject to major upgrade once stability has been returned to the country’s economy.
