Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te said the country must heed international calls to share responsibility for “collective defence”, as he appealed for parliamentary support for new spending on drones. The government has prioritized drones and other asymmetric systems, but the opposition-dominated parliament only passed two-thirds of the requested extra defence spending in May.
Lai made the comments during a visit to the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology in Taichung, where he emphasized the need for Taiwan to respond to the international call to share the responsibility of collective defence. He noted that Chinese pressure on Taiwan has become increasingly intense, with China viewing Taiwan as its own territory and refusing to renounce the use of force to bring the island under its control.
The government has proposed a new T$210 billion package for surveillance, coastal attack, and small surface drones to the end of 2031. Taiwan’s opposition parties are pushing their own drone spending plans, but Lai hopes parliament will support the government’s plans. He said that drones have become the “most important assets on the battlefield”, citing the Ukraine-Russia conflict and the fighting between the United States and Iran.
Lai also called on both the ruling and opposition parties to jointly support national security and industrial development, in order to respond to the international community’s expectations regarding Taiwan’s determination to safeguard its security. The United States, Taiwan’s most important arms supplier and international backer, has strongly backed the government’s plans to boost defence spending, especially on drone technology.
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As Taiwan considers its defence spending plans, it’s clear that the country’s security is closely tied to its relationships with other nations. The international community is watching Taiwan’s actions closely, and the country’s ability to contribute to collective defence will be an important factor in its relationships with other countries.
Taiwan’s defence spending plans are just one part of a larger effort to ensure the country’s security and stability in the region.
Drone technology has become an essential part of modern warfare.