Military Experts Warn KMT Drone Bill Could Harm National Security, Industry

A draft bill proposed by Taiwan's Kuomintang (KMT) party concerning drone development has sparked significant debate, with military experts warning it could undermine national security and cripple the burgeoning industry. The "Drone Special Regulations Act" mandates that drone production and storage facilities be dispersed across at least three counties, with single-site storage not exceeding 25% of the total. Military analyst Zhuge Fengyun criticized these stipulations, stating they are practically meaningless as manufacturers can easily circumvent them by altering company registrations. He argued that such provisions would stifle the existing industrial clusters in areas like Taoyuan, Taichung, and Chiayi, turning the law into a "joke." More critically, Zhuge pointed out that the bill's proposed limits on production and storage at single sites "deliberately interfere with national defense deployment." He emphasized that military strategy requires constant adaptation based on tactical needs, and these legislative restrictions would leave the armed forces disoriented, significantly complicating deployment and increasing the risks associated with tactical execution. The expert warned that the legislation, while couched in military jargon, is "making things very complicated with things people don't understand." Another major point of contention is the bill's requirement for 50% domestic production of commercial drones within two years and 80% within four years. Zhuge called this a "fatal flaw," highlighting that Taiwan currently relies heavily on components like control systems, communication modules, and AI modules from allied nations such as the United States and Europe. He argued that forcing such high localization rates without a realistic pathway for domestic AI training would make the targets unattainable, rendering the law ineffective and creating a significant hurdle for Taiwan's future development. This forced localization, he warned, would severely disrupt technological cooperation with allies and contradict the global trend of building "non-Red supply chains" through mutually beneficial partnerships, such as U.S. companies designing products manufactured in Taiwan. Echoing these concerns, Democratic Progressive Party legislator Wang Ting-yu criticized the KMT's approach, calling it unconstitutional and a violation of legislative principles. He argued that the opposition parties are obstructing the government's version of the bill while proposing unconstitutional alternatives when facing international condemnation and industry dissatisfaction. Wang stressed the need for "stable and predictable incentives" for the military industry, advocating for a special budget to signal a long-term national plan to the industry, encouraging capital investment. He urged the opposition to "do the right thing in the right way" and not use drone development as a political bargaining chip.

“

All legislation cannot restrict deployment, because military deployment must be adjusted according to tactical needs.