Taiwan needs to become a ‘hornet’s nest’ of drones, US diplomat says
Key takeaways
- The de facto US ambassador Raymond Greene says drones represent a ‘game-changing opportunity’ to enhance Taiwan’s security.
- The US, Taiwan’s most important international backer and arms supplier despite their lack of formal diplomatic ties, has strongly supported the government’s military modernisation plan and increased defence spending.
- Taiwan has said it needs to bolster its defences in the face of a stepped-up threat from China.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
The de facto US ambassador Raymond Greene says drones represent a ‘game-changing opportunity’ to enhance Taiwan’s security.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo A Sea Shark 800 sea drone, developed by Thunder Tiger, is seen at a sea drone event in Yilan, Taiwan [File: Ann Wang/Reuters]By Al Jazeera Staff and Reuters Published On 2 Jul 20262 Jul 2026Taiwan needs a “hornet’s nest” of drones to help deter conflict and provide security, says the top United States diplomat to the self-governing island that China claims as part of its territory.
Speaking at a forum on drones in the central city of Taichung, Raymond Greene, director of the American Institute in Taiwan and the de facto US ambassador, said on Thursday that drones represented a “game-changing opportunity” to enhance Taiwan’s security and reinforce peace in the broader region.