Taiwan must deepen drone cooperation with democratic partners, president says
- On Monday, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te broke ground on an aerospace and drone industrial park in Chiayi, inaugurating a new research campus for the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology .
- The project aims to build a "non-red supply chain" free of Chinese components, a strategy accelerated by lessons from the Ukrainian battlefield where unmanned systems proved vital for modern defense, according to Lai.
- Taiwan invested $34.6 million in the Minxiong campus, which features digital twin technology and laboratories for testing propulsion and flight-control systems, integrating military research with private sector manufacturing.
- About 100 companies are expected to join the industrial park, positioning Chiayi as an Asian hub for democratic drone production while leveraging Taiwan's semiconductor and precision manufacturing strengths.
- Cabinet officials proposed an additional T$145.7 billion in defense spending for 2026 to support drone systems, though the opposition Kuomintang has resisted the necessary supplemental budget approvals.
12 Articles
12 Articles
As Beijing continues to increase diplomatic and military pressure on Taiwan, and the international security environment facing Taiwan becomes more complex, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said that Taiwan will deepen cooperation with its democratic partners to build a safer and more resilient drone supply chain, providing stronger support for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
Taiwan Opens Military Drone Campus, Breaks Ground on Drone Industrial Park
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te speaks at the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology’s aviation research facility in Taichung on July 17, 2026. (Office of the ROC President)
The President of Taiwan, William Lai Ching-te, asked the Taiwanese Parliament this Monday to approve quickly 60 billion Taiwanese dollars (1.6 billion euros) additional for the acquisition of locally produced drones. According to Radio Taiwan International (RTI), Lai made these declarations during the inauguration of new facilities of the Chung-Shan National Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST), the main entity responsible for the develo…
Taiwan deepens drone push as China pressure drives defence overhaul
Taiwan must deepen cooperation with democratic partners on drone development as unmanned systems become increasingly important to modern warfare, President Lai Ching-te said on Monday, as the island steps up efforts to strengthen its domestic defence industry. Speaking in Chiayi in southern Taiwan at the groundbreaking ceremony for a new drone development centre, Lai said […]
Taiwan must deepen drone cooperation with democratic partners, president says
By Yi-Chin Lee and Ann Wang CHIAYI, Taiwan, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Taiwan must deepen cooperation with its democratic partners on developing drones which are crucial to fighting modern warfare, President Lai Ching-te said on Monday. • Taiwan's governmen...
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