Taiwan Wants Democratic Partners to Build Drones as China Pressure Grows

CHIAYI, Taiwan, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Taiwan must deepen cooperation with its democratic partners on developing drones which are crucial to fighting modern warfare, President Lai Ching-te said on Monday.

• Taiwan's government has made defence modernisation and increased spending a core policy given stepped-up military pressure from China, which views the democratically governed island as its own territory.

• Speaking in southern Taiwan's Chiayi for the groundbreaking ceremony for a new drone development centre, Lai said the site's significance has become even more prominent with changes in the international situation.

• "From the Ukrainian battlefield to Indo-Pacific regional security, unmanned systems have become important combat strength in modern defence," Lai said.

• "At the same time, we must deepen cooperation with democratic partners and jointly build a safer and more resilient unmanned aircraft supply chain, providing solid support for Indo-Pacific regional peace and stability," he added.

• Taiwan possesses world-class semiconductor and information and communications technology capabilities, as well as a deep precision manufacturing foundation.

• Taiwan's cabinet earlier this month proposed an additional T$145.7 billion ($4.59 billion) in defence spending for this year for systems including drones and anti-ballistic missiles.

• Those spending plans incorporate more than 600 coastal surveillance and reconnaissance drones, over 40,000 coastal attack drones, and the first batch of over 100 small suicide drone boats.

• Lai and his government reject Beijing's sovereignty claims, saying only the island's people can decide their future.

($1 = 31.7580 Taiwan dollars)

(Reporting by Yi-Chin Lee and Ann Wang; Writing by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)