Taiwan president urges parliament to approve drone budget
President Lai Ching-te urged parliament to approve a six-year, T$210 billion special budget to buy military drones ahead of an expected vote, saying uncrewed weapons are now essential after wars in Ukraine and West Asia. The opposition, which controls parliament, has proposed an alternative cap of T$40 billion per year drawn from the annual budget and overseen by the economy ministry. Defence minister Wellington Koo said the government plan includes ongoing annual procurement and upgrades and warned the T$40 billion cap would hamper capability, noting the ministry planned T$42.1 billion on drones in 2027. Beijing criticized Lai's stance.
Taiwan seeks T$210 billion for six-year military drone purchases
Context
Taiwan is debating a large special budget for military drones. The vote will decide whether the government or opposition plan is approved. If approved, procurement and supply-chain measures could follow.
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