September 8, 2026 | WSJ Letter to the Editor
Taiwan’s Drone Bill Signals Stronger Defense
Taipei’s investment shows that the island is serious about deterring Beijing.
September 8, 2026 | WSJ Letter to the Editor
Taiwan’s Drone Bill Signals Stronger Defense
Taipei’s investment shows that the island is serious about deterring Beijing.
Excerpt
Your editorial “Taiwan’s Drone Realism” (Sept. 1) notes that Taiwan is taking the necessary steps to bolster its deterrence against rising Chinese coercion.
The Taiwan Legislature’s recent drone bill is an example of Taipei’s steadfast commitment to its own defense despite a divided democracy. The $7.6 billion for drones was originally meant to be attached to a larger $40 billion special budget proposed in November 2025 but was stripped out at the last moment due to legislative disagreements when the package finally passed in May 2026.
Jack Burnham is a senior research analyst in the China Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD).