Taiwan lawmakers approve $7.6b drone budget as China threat grows

TAIPEI, Aug 27: Lawmakers in Taiwan approved a $7.6 billion budget for locally made drones on Thursday as the island democracy seeks to strengthen its defences against a potential Chinese attack.

China claims Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to annex it.

A spending proposal backed by the opposition parties cleared the parliament after a plan submitted by the government was rejected.

President Lai Ching-te's government wanted to allocate up to NT$210 billion ($6.6 billion) in a special budget for Taiwan-made unmanned vehicles, including coastal surveillance, attack and surface drones.

The spending would have been spread out over more than five years and overseen by the defence ministry.�"AFP