On October 23, ROC President Lai Ching-te signed a bill appropriating the equivalent of $3.4 billion USD for the purpose of acquiring fuel and expanding reserves of ammunition and water so that they can last four months without being replenished.
The Legislative Yuan had passed the bill with what the Institute for the Study of War calls “a rare instance of tri-partisan cooperation among the three major political parties” despite objections by Kuomintang legislators that led to cutting some $162 million USD from the original proposal (ISW, China-Taiwan Weekly Update, October 24, 2025).
Asymmetric defense
Yet to be considered by the Legislative Yuan is another special budget of $1.4 billion USD that the Executive Yuan approved on October 16 to be devoted to production of drones “amid efforts to prepare an ‘asymmetric’ defense of Taiwan.” At least a couple of observers cited by ISW believe that “US military aid will hinge on the success of the special budget.”
In addition to funding domestic production of drones, “The plan also provides for the government to purchase 100,000 drones in the next three years, of which 48,750 are intended for the Ministry of National Defense. The special budget for asymmetric warfare and operational resilience, separate from the approved investment plan, is intended to fund the Ministry of National Defense drone procurement and is still under review in the EY. An asymmetric defense of Taiwan would involve using cost-effective systems that can act as force multipliers for the Taiwanese military. Ukrainian forces have demonstrated how one can use large quantities of inexpensive systems to defend on land and sea against a larger and better-resourced adversary.”
These and related efforts indicate that the Republic of China is “continuing to work toward self-sufficiency in the defense sector to ensure its national defense is not reliant on overseas supply chains” and “reflect the Taiwanese commitment to integrating advanced technologies, such as drones, into its defensive concept.” Will such goals also earn tri-lateral support in the Legislative Yuan?
Also see:
Taipei Times: “Army to form drone groups for each theater by next July: chief of staff”
