Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, called for the approval of a special six-year budget of 210 billion Taiwanese dollars ($6.6 billion) for the purchase of military drones. The call came ahead of a decisive vote in parliament, where the opposition holds the majority. Lai emphasized that Taiwan must demonstrate its determination to defend itself.
The Taiwanese government states that plans to purchase about 210,000 new military drones cannot wait, as the wars in Ukraine and West Asia have demonstrated the importance of unmanned weapons in modern warfare. According to the government, given the threat from China, which considers the democratically governed island its territory, these drones are necessary to turn the conflict zone into “hellish conditions” for Chinese military forces.
Opposition and government proposals
The opposition, which controls parliament, has put forward its own proposal to limit annual spending to 40 billion Taiwanese dollars. Under its plan, funds should be allocated from the annual budget and controlled by the Ministry of Economy, not the Ministry of Defense.
Lai stated that given the development of modern warfare, drones have become a key component in building Taiwan’s “asymmetric” combat potential. “This is not just a matter of building national defense, but also an important step for Taiwan to demonstrate its determination to self-defense,” he said at the weekly meeting of his Democratic Progressive Party ahead of the expected parliamentary vote on competing plans on Thursday, August 27, 2026.
Legislators from the ruling and opposition parties discussed their proposals at a meeting on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, but failed to reach an agreement. Lai Shi-bao, a leading deputy from the largest opposition party Kuomintang, said their proposal was more practical. “Technology is developing rapidly, and if a large quantity is purchased at once, it will quickly become obsolete,” he noted.
Defense Minister’s position and development plans
Defense Minister Wellington Koo reported that the government’s plan would involve annual purchases and regular updates of drones, rather than a one-time bulk purchase. He also added that an annual spending limit of 40 billion Taiwanese dollars would hinder Taiwan’s ability to effectively build up its drone combat potential, as the ministry had already planned to spend 42.1 billion Taiwanese dollars on drones in 2027 alone.
Earlier this month, parliament approved separate funding programs related to drones aimed at developing the industry. These plans focus, in particular, on creating a “supply chain independent of China.” China dominates the global drone market, and some of the world’s leading drone manufacturers are located on its territory.
At a regular press conference in Beijing earlier on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the Chinese government Zhang Han repeated criticism of “Lai’s pursuit of independence by force.” “The irreversible trend toward reunification cannot be stopped,” he said.
Lai rejects Beijing’s claims to sovereignty and states that only the people of Taiwan can decide their future.
Source: The Hindu
