Taiwan must deepen drone cooperation with democratic partners, president says
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Taiwan President Lai Ching-te attends the graduation ceremony for military cadets in Taipei, Taiwan, June 30, 2026. REUTERS/Ann Wang
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 government has made defence modernisation and increased spending a core policy given stepped-up military pressure from China, which views the democratically governed island as its own territory.
• Speaking in southern Taiwan's Chiayi for the groundbreaking ceremony for a new drone development centre, Lai said the site's significance has become even more prominent with changes in the international situation.
• "From the Ukrainian battlefield to Indo-Pacific regional security, unmanned systems have become important combat strength in modern defence," Lai said.
• "At the same time, we must deepen cooperation with democratic partners and jointly build a safer and more resilient unmanned aircraft supply chain, providing solid support for Indo-Pacific regional peace and stability," he added.
• Taiwan possesses world-class semiconductor and information and communications technology capabilities, as well as a deep precision manufacturing foundation.
• Taiwan's cabinet earlier this month proposed an additional T$145.7 billion ($4.59 billion) in defence spending for this year for systems including drones and anti-ballistic missiles.
• Those spending plans incorporate more than 600 coastal surveillance and reconnaissance drones, over 40,000 coastal attack drones, and the first batch of over 100 small suicide drone boats.
• Lai and his government reject Beijing's sovereignty claims, saying only the island's people can decide their future.
($1 = 31.7580 Taiwan dollars)
(Reporting by Yi-Chin Lee and Ann Wang; Writing by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
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