Taiwan needs to 'spend smarter' on its defence, senior US diplomat says
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- Taiwan's opposition‑dominated parliament approved only two‑thirds of the $40 billion extra defence budget that President Lai Ching‑te requested.
- Raymond Greene, director of the American Institute in Taiwan, urged Taiwan to invest in unmanned systems, saying drones are reshaping warfare and can restore the cross‑Strait balance.
- The United States reaffirmed its opposition to any forced change to Taiwan’s status and continued to back President Lai’s defence spending, even as President Donald Trump considered a $14 billion arms sales package.
- President Lai Ching‑te has asked for a $40 billion boost to defence spending to acquire domestically made drones and missiles to deter China.
Why it matters: Taiwan gains a clearer path to modernising its forces with drones, while the shortfall in funding limits domestic missile production; the United States retains strategic influence in the Taiwan Strait.
