Taiwanese President Urges Parliament to Fund Local Drone Industry

Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen has urged lawmakers to swiftly approve nearly NT$60 billion ($1.9 billion) in additional funds to acquire locally made drones and promote the industry's autonomy. The funds will enable the Ministry of Defense to purchase from Taiwanese manufacturers and support independent sector development. Tsai made these remarks during the inauguration of facilities at the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) and the start of construction on an aerospace and drone park in Minxiong, Chiayi County. The new NCSIST complex, built with an investment of over NT$1.1 billion ($35 million), will assume research, testing, and production tasks for military drones.