https://www.scmp.com/rss/522424/feed The Institute for National Defence and Security Research (INDSR) is a prominent Taiwanese think tank based in Taipei. Inaugurated in May 2018, its primary mission is to safeguard Taiwan’s democracy and prosperity by fostering mutual understanding and advancing common interests within the global and domestic defence and security community. As Taiwan’s top military think tank, INDSR focuses on national security, defence strategies, Chinese military affairs, and cyber security. It conducts... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Pressure from Washington was likely to have played a decisive role in Taiwan’s opposition parties backing a sharply expanded special defence budget last week, analysts said, as concerns mount in Taipei ahead of a summit between US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. The anxiety centres on potential concessions from Trump this week in exchange for economic gains from Beijing, which views Taiwan as a core interest and the “biggest risk” in ties with the US, and has kept... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3353177/did-us-pressure-xi-trump-summit-force-kmt-hand-taiwans-defence-budget?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3353177/did-us-pressure-xi-trump-summit-force-kmt-hand-taiwans-defence-budget?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 15:02:28 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan has received its final shipment of US-made M1A2T Abrams tanks, completing a long-delayed order aimed at modernising the island’s ageing armoured forces. Considered among the world’s most powerful tanks, these vehicles are expected to bolster the island’s defence amid rising military pressure from Beijing. The shipment of 28 tanks arrived at the Port of Taipei over the weekend and was moved overnight under police and military escort to the army’s Armour Training Command in Hsinchu county’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351596/taiwan-completes-us-tank-deal-final-abrams-shipment-reaches-port?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351596/taiwan-completes-us-tank-deal-final-abrams-shipment-reaches-port?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 12:00:15 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Iran’s ability to sustain missile and drone strikes despite heavy US-Israeli attacks has sharpened a debate in Taiwan: if the island’s air defences were degraded in the early stages of a conflict with mainland China, could it still keep fighting? The answer from officials, lawmakers and analysts was cautious but clear. They said the island could be resilient – but only if it shifted away from a missile-heavy defensive mindset towards a more integrated, cost-effective and survivable system. Even... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349752/does-irans-wartime-resilience-offer-any-lessons-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349752/does-irans-wartime-resilience-offer-any-lessons-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 04:00:11 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan’s defence ministry has outlined a wartime strategy of using long-range firepower to “slow the advance” of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) forces in the event of a cross-strait assault. The ministry report on Monday comes as lawmakers began formal discussions on a proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$40 billion) special defence budget. The ministry said the military would prioritise targeting the incoming adversary – including amphibious fleets and logistics support forces – as they mobilised and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347617/deny-delay-degrade-taiwan-unveils-long-range-strategy-hold-pla-strait?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347617/deny-delay-degrade-taiwan-unveils-long-range-strategy-hold-pla-strait?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 12:00:41 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung The survival of Iran’s political and military apparatus following a massive US-Israeli decapitation strike has ignited a strategic debate in Taiwan, with experts weighing the island’s ability to withstand a similar “surgical” opening to an attack from the mainland. Military analysts and officials in Taipei are closely studying the February 28 strikes that killed Ali Khamenei, the Iranian supreme leader, and Iran’s ability to sustain organised resistance in the weeks that have followed. Iran’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347431/could-taiwans-military-continue-fight-after-iran-decapitation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347431/could-taiwans-military-continue-fight-after-iran-decapitation?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 12:00:09 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Lessons from the wars in Iran and Ukraine are pushing Taipei to rethink its air-defence strategy, with officials now warning that expensive missiles alone cannot stop large waves of rockets and drones. In a report submitted to Taiwan’s lawmakers on Monday, the island’s defence ministry said low-cost interceptor weapons were urgently needed to counter the mainland Chinese military’s growing arsenal of long-range rockets and uncrewed aircraft. The new systems would form part of Taiwan’s planned... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346773/what-lessons-does-taiwan-see-iran-and-ukraine-its-air-defence-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3346773/what-lessons-does-taiwan-see-iran-and-ukraine-its-air-defence-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 13:30:08 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan’s defence ministry has received a US letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) for 82 Himars rocket launchers, according to officials, who said the deal must be signed by March 26 as other pending arms contracts near expiry. Speaking before a legislative session on Tuesday, Wellington Koo Li-hsiung, the island’s defence minister, said the Himars, or High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, agreement was one of five US arms procurement deals awaiting legislative authorisation. Koo noted that the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3346131/taiwan-scrambles-sign-us-arms-deals-deadline-amid-defence-budget-gridlock?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3346131/taiwan-scrambles-sign-us-arms-deals-deadline-amid-defence-budget-gridlock?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 01:00:13 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan’s legislature has agreed to begin reviewing a long-stalled special defence budget, but competing opposition proposals are set to complicate passage of the government’s NT$1.25 trillion (US$40 billion) plan despite mounting pressure from the United States. Lawmakers began scrutinising the bill on Friday, as three rival proposals from the island’s main political parties exposed deep divisions over how much Taiwan should spend on defence and what mix of foreign weapons and home-grown... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345756/taiwan-starts-review-defence-bill-competing-proposals-expose-divisions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345756/taiwan-starts-review-defence-bill-competing-proposals-expose-divisions?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 04:00:12 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan has reacted to the US strike on Iran with surprise, strategic calculation and renewed debate over the island’s air defence readiness. While some observers were struck by what they saw as overwhelming US military dominance, others said the conflict underscored the urgency of accelerating plans to build a more integrated, layered air defence network amid mounting pressure from Beijing. On Monday, the island’s cabinet said relevant ministries were “closely monitoring developments in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345172/us-strike-iran-fuels-taiwans-air-defence-debate-and-energy-supply-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3345172/us-strike-iran-fuels-taiwans-air-defence-debate-and-energy-supply-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 14:00:22 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan’s procurement of three US arms packages has come under renewed scrutiny, with military experts now questioning their effectiveness in deterring Beijing. The debate has sharpened after opposition parties repeatedly blocked a proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$40 billion) special defence budget in the legislature’s procedure committee last month. At the centre of the latest criticism are three US-approved systems for Taiwan: the Patriot PAC-3 missile defence system and its upgrades, the National... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3344968/taiwan-buying-expensive-us-weapons-systems-are-they-right-ones?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3344968/taiwan-buying-expensive-us-weapons-systems-are-they-right-ones?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan has conducted a series of shallow-water submerged tests of its indigenous submarine prototype over the past two weeks, marking a key step towards potential navy delivery as early as June. The Hai Kun, or Narwhal, is part of the island’s Indigenous Defence Submarine programme, a project widely seen as central to its efforts to boost asymmetric naval capabilities amid increasing military pressure from Beijing. Surface navigation tests began last year, with undersea trials and weapons... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342948/will-taiwan-meet-submarine-delivery-deadline-unlock-defence-budget-hai-kun-tests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342948/will-taiwan-meet-submarine-delivery-deadline-unlock-defence-budget-hai-kun-tests?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 02:00:13 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan is moving to plug one-year conscripts directly into frontline combined-arms operations, mandating joint live-fire training with troops across all services to bolster resilience against a potential attack from Beijing. But the push is facing challenges, with experts saying that the inexperienced recruits could become a battlefield burden while the military also deals with training capacity issues and weakening public resolve on defending the island. The Taiwanese cabinet’s latest policy... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342711/taiwan-wants-train-effective-reserve-force-will-live-fire-drills-do-job?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342711/taiwan-wants-train-effective-reserve-force-will-live-fire-drills-do-job?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Feb 2026 06:00:20 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan has set up a top-tier firepower coordination hub in partnership with the US to sharpen asymmetric strike integration as military pressure from Beijing intensifies. The new Joint Firepower Coordination Centre – the highest-level facility of its kind in Taiwan – is designed to coordinate long-range precision strike planning and intelligence-sharing across the island’s military services. This comes as Taipei ramps up coordination between its US-made weapons systems and locally developed... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341291/taiwan-launches-firepower-hub-us-beijing-steps-military-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341291/taiwan-launches-firepower-hub-us-beijing-steps-military-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 12:37:10 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang The first confirmed deployment of a PLA drone within Taiwan’s claimed airspace is the latest example of Beijing’s “salami-slicing” strategy towards the self-ruled island, analysts say. One observer noted it was also meant to test, wear down and put pressure on Taiwan’s military. Taiwan’s defence ministry said on Saturday that a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) surveillance drone had entered its self-defined airspace – meaning the space above the 12-nautical-mile (22km) territorial sea baseline... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3340877/what-beijings-drone-flight-over-pratas-island-means-its-taiwan-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3340877/what-beijings-drone-flight-over-pratas-island-means-its-taiwan-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 04:00:15 +0000 Sylvie Zhuang,Lawrence Chung Sylvie Zhuang,Lawrence Chung The latest People’s Liberation Army drills around Taiwan may have been testing how to wear down the island’s air defences using rockets that are “cheap enough to be used in large quantities”, military observers said. On Tuesday, the PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command wrapped up a two-day live-fire exercise named Justice Mission 2025. The exercise surrounded large parts of the island and came less than a fortnight after the United States approved a US$11.1 billion weapons package for Taiwan – the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3338335/was-plas-taiwan-drill-testing-inexpensive-ways-wear-down-islands-air-defence-system?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3338335/was-plas-taiwan-drill-testing-inexpensive-ways-wear-down-islands-air-defence-system?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Dec 2025 14:00:09 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung A proposal to invite Taiwan to next year’s US-led Rim of the Pacific (Rimpac) military exercises has been removed from defence policy legislation progressing through Congress, raising concerns in Taipei that Washington’s political calculus may be shifting. Some analysts have warned that the removal of language approved by the US Senate in the 2026 National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) could even pave the way for Beijing’s return to the world’s largest naval exercise. For the first time, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336217/why-has-reference-taiwan-attending-rimpac-been-removed-us-defence-bill?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336217/why-has-reference-taiwan-attending-rimpac-been-removed-us-defence-bill?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Dec 2025 12:40:02 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan has moved to deter what it sees as an alarming rise in deliberate damage to its undersea cables, revising its laws to impose stiffer prison sentences of up to seven years. The legal changes approved by Taiwan’s legislature on Tuesday come as the island accuses Beijing of sabotaging its submarine cables, describing such acts as “grey-zone” pressure tactics. Mainland authorities have strongly denied any involvement, calling the incidents “common maritime accidents” and accusing Taipei of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3335800/eyeing-mainland-china-taiwan-passes-stiffer-penalties-undersea-cable-damage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3335800/eyeing-mainland-china-taiwan-passes-stiffer-penalties-undersea-cable-damage?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 13:00:08 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan’s opposition lawmakers have blocked a proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$40 billion) special defence budget from being placed on the agenda for review this week. The suspension on Tuesday prompted angry protests from the ruling independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), injecting fresh uncertainty into Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te’s ambitious military modernisation plan. The legislature’s procedure committee voted down Lai’s government’s request to schedule the bill for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3334936/taiwan-opposition-blocks-us40-billion-defence-budget-prompting-protests-ruling-dpp?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3334936/taiwan-opposition-blocks-us40-billion-defence-budget-prompting-protests-ruling-dpp?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Dec 2025 11:22:15 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan’s plan to acquire Israeli “takeover” technology as part of a counter-drone network has set off a debate over its use and the island’s security strategy as it tries to keep pace with rapidly evolving unmanned threats. At a briefing for suppliers on the procurement requirements earlier this month, Taiwan’s homeland security office outlined specifications for a new system to protect the island’s airports, power plants and other critical infrastructure from incursions by small commercial... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3334496/taiwans-plan-acquire-drone-takeover-technology-sparks-security-debate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3334496/taiwans-plan-acquire-drone-takeover-technology-sparks-security-debate?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Nov 2025 22:00:23 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan is facing an intensifying debate about draft dodging among young men after the government moved to extend the term of compulsory military service amid heightened tensions with Beijing. The island’s government has extended the term conscripts must serve to one year, and the contrast between its warning that the stakes have never been higher in the face of increased pressure from Beijing and the growing reluctance to serve has fuelled a debate about weaknesses in its mobilisation system. A... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3332946/taiwan-draft-dodging-concerns-highlight-growing-public-unease-over-military-service?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3332946/taiwan-draft-dodging-concerns-highlight-growing-public-unease-over-military-service?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Nov 2025 02:00:33 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan has for the first time formally outlined the circumstances under which its troops can shoot down incoming drones. The move is part of a broader effort by the island’s defence ministry to codify its rules of engagement and strengthen its ability to respond to mounting military pressure from mainland China. The new procedures, disclosed in the recently released National Defence Report 2025, set out a four-step standard operating procedure – identification and monitoring, alert and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3329698/taiwan-sets-out-new-rules-outlining-when-troops-can-shoot-down-drones?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3329698/taiwan-sets-out-new-rules-outlining-when-troops-can-shoot-down-drones?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Oct 2025 12:00:14 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung The US Senate has approved its defence policy bill for the 2026 financial year, which for the first time “strongly encourages” inviting Taiwan’s navy to take part in the Rim of the Pacific (Rimpac) military exercise. The 2026 National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA), which passed late on Thursday, also authorises the executive branch to allocate US$1 billion for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative, expanding the mechanism’s use to include combat casualty care and medical equipment. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3328835/us-senate-pushes-taiwan-attend-rimpac-drill-latest-defence-bill?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3328835/us-senate-pushes-taiwan-attend-rimpac-drill-latest-defence-bill?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Oct 2025 11:26:10 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen The United States has stopped issuing official statements about the passage of its warships through the Taiwan Strait since Donald Trump returned to the White House – a move some analysts believe is designed to dampen down tensions with Beijing. Such transits were announced regularly while Joe Biden was president, but since Trump’s return there have only been three known operations. Beijing has long complained about the “public hype” surrounding such operations, but despite the apparent... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3326248/why-has-us-grown-quieter-about-sending-its-warships-through-taiwan-strait?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3326248/why-has-us-grown-quieter-about-sending-its-warships-through-taiwan-strait?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Sep 2025 14:00:11 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan is moving swiftly to expand its long-range strike abilities with a new class of low-cost unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This comes as military planners seek affordable alternatives to expensive cruise missiles and Washington deepens cooperation with Taipei on drones and emerging technologies. The urgency has grown since Beijing showcased cutting-edge uncrewed systems during its Victory Day parade at Tiananmen Square on Wednesday – platforms that analysts said mirrored or even surpassed... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3324528/could-taiwans-new-high-low-attack-drone-strategy-counter-mainland-chinas-arsenal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3324528/could-taiwans-new-high-low-attack-drone-strategy-counter-mainland-chinas-arsenal?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Sep 2025 06:00:15 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan’s biggest-ever participation in American-led military exercises has been thrust into the open by Pentagon-linked media, widely seen as a deepening of Washington’s defence ties with Taipei despite the Trump administration’s transactional approach to policy. Analysts said the unusually high-profile disclosure was aimed not only at deterring Beijing but also at countering rising distrust of the United States among Taiwanese people during Donald Trump’s second term as president. Citing a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3322764/what-500-plus-taiwanese-troops-us-drills-says-about-defence-ties-washington?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3322764/what-500-plus-taiwanese-troops-us-drills-says-about-defence-ties-washington?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Aug 2025 08:27:56 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan is moving to buy nearly 50,000 drones over the next two years as it seeks to bolster its asymmetric combat capabilities against mounting military pressure from Beijing. The move comes as the island’s military prepares to classify unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as consumables to accelerate procurement – a policy that mirrors a recent shift by the United States. According to a recent tender notice published on the Taiwanese government’s procurement website, the defence ministry’s Armaments... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3322406/treat-drones-bullets-taiwan-seeks-50000-new-uavs-over-two-years-boost-defences?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3322406/treat-drones-bullets-taiwan-seeks-50000-new-uavs-over-two-years-boost-defences?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Aug 2025 12:12:27 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan is developing a next-generation anti-ship missile in a move that defence analysts have described as potentially a major boost to the island’s ability to deter mainland China’s expanding naval power. In a list issued under the Defence Industry Development Act, Taiwan’s defence ministry announced a new weapon described as a “long-range subsonic anti-ship cruise missile”. The list said the island’s military would spend NT$40 million (US$1.3 million) next year and the year after that to buy... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3321483/taiwan-unveils-carrier-killer-missile-plans-bid-deter-mainland-chinese-forces?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3321483/taiwan-unveils-carrier-killer-missile-plans-bid-deter-mainland-chinese-forces?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Aug 2025 12:48:11 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Taiwan began its largest and longest annual military drills on Wednesday, with an urban survival focus and unprecedented live-fire conditions, amid concerns about US security commitments and the growth of China’s armed forces. Cyberattacks, economic coercion and other “grey zone” scenarios that fall short of open conflict all feature in the 41st Han Kuang (漢光) exercise, which runs until July 18. There will also be air-raid warnings, mass evacuations and a focus on protecting critical... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3317668/taiwan-ramps-war-games-amid-us-china-squeeze?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3317668/taiwan-ramps-war-games-amid-us-china-squeeze?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Jul 2025 09:00:11 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Beijing’s sudden activation of another civilian air route near the Taiwan Strait’s unofficial median line has renewed alarm in Taipei, with defence experts and lawmakers warning the move could raise the risk of miscalculation in an already tense air corridor. The mainland’s Civil Aviation Administration activated the last of three branches off the M503 north-south flight path through the strait on Sunday. The M503 and its offshoots were established in 2015 to connect various cities along the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3317268/alarms-ring-taipei-beijing-activates-another-taiwan-strait-flight-route?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3317268/alarms-ring-taipei-beijing-activates-another-taiwan-strait-flight-route?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jul 2025 01:00:18 +0000