Taiwan's companies make the world's electronics. Now they want to make weapons

https://www.npr.org/2023/08/18/ [login to see] /taiwan-military-weapons-manufacturing-industry
The technology behind the plastic injection mold machines that hum in a factory in this town in southern Taiwan were once used to make Buddhist temple decorations. A generation later, the company, Hwa Meei Optical, now makes recreational eyewear, such as ski goggles and sunglasses.

But it has ambitions to outfit soldiers.

"Every generation at Hwa Meei improves. Now we will have to see what the third generation will do," says Lin Shunfu, a company vice president.

He is now shifting the company into the defense sector to manufacture and sell shatterproof, bullet-resistant eyewear for the military.