Taiwan urged to become a ‘hornet’s nest’ of drones, US diplomat says

U.S. diplomat Raymond Greene, director of the American Institute in Taiwan, told a drone forum in Taichung that Taiwan should develop a “hornet’s nest” of air, surface and subsurface drones to deter aggression from China. He called drones a “game‑changing opportunity,” citing their impact in the Ukraine war, and said a democratic‑led drone industry could strengthen regional deterrence.

Taiwan’s government has drafted a special budget of up to T$210 billion (about US$6.6 billion) through December 2031 for surveillance, coastal‑strike and small unmanned surface drones. The opposition KMT has proposed a competing plan of T$240 billion over six years funded from the regular budget. Parliament has yet to approve either package. President Lai Ching‑te called the effort a “race against time” and rejected Beijing’s sovereignty claims, emphasizing that only Taiwan’s people can decide its future.

The United States remains Taiwan’s primary security partner despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties, continuing to back Taipei’s military modernisation and increased defence spending amid heightened Chinese pressure.