Executive Yuan: Special Budget to Promote Unmanned Vehicle Development and Ensure Operational Timeliness, Hopes for Support

By Central News Agency reporters Lai Yu-chen and Yeh Su-ping, Taipei, June 16

The Executive Yuan announced today that in response to changing geopolitical dynamics, de-risking has become an international trend, making unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) development a strategic priority. The Ministry of National Defense has proposed a procurement plan utilizing a special budget to concentrate resources on advancing unmanned vehicle capabilities, aiming to simultaneously meet the military's urgent operational requirements and foster domestic industry growth. The Executive Yuan urges cross-party support for this initiative.

On June 18, the Executive Yuan passed the draft 'Special Act for the Procurement of Indigenous Unmanned Defense Vehicles,' allocating a maximum special budget of NT$210 billion. This funding will be used from August of this year through the end of 2031 to progressively acquire domestically developed unmanned defense systems. The draft is currently undergoing its initial review in the Legislative Yuan. Meanwhile, opposition party caucuses in the legislature have also proposed their own UAV-related legislation, but advocate funding through regular government budgets rather than a special budget allocation.

Executive Yuan spokesperson Lee Hui-chih, speaking at today's post-cabinet press conference, highlighted several international indicators to demonstrate Taiwan's resilience and adaptability. These include the Atlantic Council's newly released Global Freedom and Prosperity Index, Taiwan's recent GDP growth rates, the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook, and Taiwan ranking first in Asia on the 2025 World Press Freedom Index. Lee stated that these achievements reflect the collective efforts of all citizens and are a source of national pride.

Lee emphasized that in response to evolving geopolitical conditions, de-risking is now a global trend, and UAV development presents Taiwan with a new wave of strategic and industrial opportunities.

She further noted that the Ministry of National Defense has formulated its procurement plan based on real-world combat requirements and urged all parties in the legislature to support the Executive Yuan's version of the UAV procurement bill currently under review. By centralizing resources through a special budget under the Ministry's coordination, the government aims to accelerate development, meet the military's time-sensitive operational demands, and support the growth of Taiwan's domestic unmanned vehicle industry. This initiative is expected to position Taiwan as a key partner in the global democratic supply chain and drive continued national progress. (Edited by Lin Ko-lun) 1150716