TAIPEI, Aug 26 (Reuters) – Taiwan must demonstrate its resolve to defend itself and pass a six-year, T$210 billion ($6.6 billion) special budget to buy military drones, President Lai Ching-te said on Wednesday ahead of a crucial vote in the opposition-controlled parliament.
Taiwan’s government says the plans to buy some 210,000 new military drones cannot wait, given the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East have shown the importance of uncrewed weapons in modern warfare.
But the opposition, which controls parliament, has put forward its own proposals to cap spending each year at T$40 billion, drawn from the annual budget and overseen by the economy, not defence, ministry.
The government says with the threat from China, which views the democratically governed island as its own territory, the drones are urgently needed to turn any conflict zone into a “hellscape” for the Chinese military.
Lai said that, in light of the evolution of modern warfare, drones have become a key component in the military’s efforts to build its “asymmetric” combat capability.
“This is not only a matter of national defence buildup, but also an important step for Taiwan to demonstrate its determination for self-defence,” he told a weekly meeting of his Democratic Progressive Party, ahead of an expected parliament vote on the competing plans on Thursday.
PRE-VOTE LAWMAKER MEETING
Lawmakers from the ruling and opposition parties debated their various proposals in a meeting on Wednesday, but failed to reach agreement.
Lai Shyh-bao, a senior lawmaker from the largest opposition party, the Kuomintang, told the meeting that their proposal was the more practical one.
“The technology is advancing rapidly, and if you buy a huge quantity all at once, it will quickly become out of date,” he said.
Defence Minister Wellington Koo has said the government plan would still involve annual procurement and regular upgrades, rather than a one-off bulk purchase.
He also said the annual spending cap of T$40 billion would prevent Taiwan from effectively building up drone combat capabilities, as the ministry already planned to spend T$42.1 billion on drones in 2027 alone.
Parliament earlier this month passed separate drone-related spending plans aimed at developing the industry.
The plans focus in particular on building a “non-red” supply chain independent of China, which dominates the global drone market and is home to some of the world’s leading drone manufacturers.
At a regular press conference in Beijing earlier on Wednesday, a spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office repeated criticism of Lai’s “seeking independence by force”.
“The overwhelming trend towards reunification cannot be stopped,” spokesperson Zhang Han said.
Lai rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims, and says only Taiwan’s people can decide their future.
($1 = 31.8430 Taiwan dollars)
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Yimou Lee; Editing by Alex Richardson)
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