U.S. Diplomat Calls for Taiwan 'Hornet’s Nest' of Drones to Deter Conflict

Raymond Greene, director of the American Institute in Taiwan, said Thursday that Taiwan should become a “hornet’s nest” of air, surface and subsurface drones to deter conflict. Speaking at a forum in the central city of Taichung, Greene described drones as a “game-changing opportunity” to strengthen the island’s security and regional peace.

He added that the United States and Taiwan could anchor democratic drone production and reinforce collective deterrence.

Greene cited Ukraine, stating that drones have boosted defenders facing overwhelming odds. “Nothing will deter conflict more effectively than turning Taiwan into a hornet’s nest of air, surface, and subsurface drones,” he said. Taiwan’s government has proposed a T$210 billion package for surveillance, coastal attack and small unmanned surface drones through 2031.

In May the opposition-controlled parliament approved only two-thirds of the T$1.25 trillion extra defense budget requested by President Lai Ching-te, limiting the funds to U.S. arms purchases. The Kuomintang this week offered its own plan capping drone spending at T$240 billion over six years with an annual limit of T$40 billion, to be drawn from the main budget rather than a special allocation.

Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen, a senior KMT member, told the same forum that parliament should “work together” on the drone industry, noting that warfare has changed because of drones and unmanned vehicles. On Wednesday President Lai Ching-te told his Democratic Progressive Party that building asymmetric combat capabilities is a national defense project that is a race against time.

Lai rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims and says only Taiwan’s people can decide the island’s future.