Taiwan drone strategy caught in legislature's budget battles

Taiwan tensionsLai administration and KMT-led opposition push rival plansTaiwan's President Lai Ching-te attends a drone demonstration during the annual Han Kuang military exercises at a navy base in Kaohsiung on Aug. 8. © ReutersTHOMPSON CHAUAugust 26, 2026 15:20 JSTTAICHUNG, Taiwan -- Taiwan's dueling political parties are stepping up the next phase of their battle, focused on how Taiwan should fund and develop its drone industry amid China's military buildup and the rapid evolution of modern warfare.