U.S. lawmaker urges Taiwan to pass drone Bill, warning 'time is short'
A U.S. congressional delegation visiting Taiwan has urged the government to pass a significant drone procurement bill to bolster defense against potential Chinese aggression. The proposal faces internal debate in Taiwan regarding the scale and structure of military spending.
Why it matters
The tension over Taiwan's defense strategy highlights the ongoing geopolitical friction between the U.S. and China in the Indo-Pacific region.
A U.S. lawmaker urged Taiwan on Friday (July 31, 2026) to approve a drone spending proposal, warning that "time is short" for the island democracy as it faces the threat of a potential Chinese attack.
China claims Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to seize it. Taiwan has ramped up its defence spending in recent years, but remains reliant on U.S. security support to deter Beijing.
"Time is short, and the faster a comprehensive drone Bill can pass, the better," Republican lawmaker Young Kim said during a visit to Taipei by a bipartisan congressional delegation.
"The wars over Ukraine and Iran show that Taiwan needs to buy and build drones at a huge scale," Ms. Kim said at the Presidential Office, where the U.S. lawmakers met with President Lai Ching-te.
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