Uncrewed vehicles are a critical part of maintaining asymmetric warfare capabilities, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, as he called on all parties to put the nation’s security first and support the Executive Yuan’s version of the national defense autonomy uncrewed vehicle procurement special act.
Lai made the comments while presiding over a promotion ceremony for military officers at the Presidential Office, saying that an officer’s promotion underscores the nation’s affirmation of their capabilities and that they are expected to take on more responsibilities.
The decisions of high-ranking officers directly affect troop readiness, mission execution and personnel safety, Lai said, urging the military to make use of their experience to make prudent decisions.
Photo: CNA
Tactics and strategies would continue to be updated as developing technologies emerge, and the military must step up efforts to incorporate them, Lai said.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) yesterday also conveyed comments made by Lai during the DPP Central Standing Committee meeting in a post-meeting news release.
The Executive Yuan’s proposed special act was put forward not just to procure drones, but also to consolidate and build Taiwan’s defense capabilities, he said.
The use of drones in military conflicts in the past few years has shown that they are no longer supplementary tools, but rather core equipment for asymmetric warfare capabilities, changing how wars are conducted, Wu cited Lai as saying.
The president also mentioned that Taiwan’s drone manufacturing capabilities are world-class and continue to grow rapidly, with the US National Defense Authorization Act this year mandating a joint drone development and co-production program with Taiwan, Wu said.
National security waits for no one, especially amid rapidly shifting geopolitical landscapes and rapidly evolving forms of warfare, Lai said, adding that people cannot rest easy until the country is safe, and that only peace and stability could ensure sustainable development in Taiwan.
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