TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's annual security dialogue opened Wednesday (Sept. 9) with Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) warning that gray zone threats are "already part of Taiwan's daily security environment," hours after an unauthorized drone forced eight fighter jets to divert from a central Taiwan air base.
"While military pressure, cyberattacks, and information manipulation impose demands, our response must preserve governance capacity and the public's access to reliable information," Hsiao said at the 2026 Taipei Security Dialogue (台北安全對話). The drone's origin, type and operator remain unknown; the case has been referred to the Aviation Police Bureau (航空警察局) for investigation.
The forum, hosted by the Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR, 國防安全研究院), convened with officials from the United States, Japan, Australia, Germany, Ukraine and Poland. In his keynote address, American Institute in Taiwan Director Raymond Greene warned that any Taiwan Strait conflict "would cost the global economy more than during the Second World War."
Greene called uncrewed systems "a game-changing technology that redefines the battlefield," citing Taiwan's "advanced manufacturing, deep semiconductor expertise, and access to advanced American battle-tested autonomous systems" through partnerships with U.S. drone companies.
Hsiao said the government has submitted a supplemental budget to the legislature, Taiwan's parliament, for drone defense procurement. "Government drone production and procurement, including civilian procurement, must use a fully non-red supply chain," she said, adding that Taiwan must develop "a data architecture needed to use these tools effectively with clear human responsibility for decisions."
INDSR Chairman Huoh Shoou-Yeh (霍守業), a retired army general who previously served as Taiwan's chief of the general staff and army commander, stressed "China continues to employ gray zone coercion" as authoritarian states form "an axis of instability intent on dismantling the current security order."
The forum opened less than 14 hours after a drone was detected near Ching Chuan Kang Air Base (清泉崗空軍基地) in Taichung at 7:37 p.m. Monday (Sept. 8). Air Force Command said eight IDF fighter jets conducting night training diverted to Hsinchu Air Base; operations resumed at 8:02 p.m. after the drone left controlled airspace.
Taichung Airport Director Chang Jui-shu (張瑞澍) told local media one Macau-to-Taichung flight circled until the threat cleared. The flight number was not immediately available. Police arrived, but the drone was no longer visible. The airport shares its runway and airfield facilities with the adjacent military installation.
Taiwan's legislature passed a six-year, NT$44.2 billion (around US$1.4 billion) drone industry program in August. Hsiao said President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) has committed to raising defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2030.
The drone incident underscored the urgency of Taiwan's defense modernization. "We saw this progress on full display in the most recent Han Kuang exercises, with Patriot missile batteries and armored brigades rolling through urban streets in scenarios that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago," Greene said.
"This is a fundamental shift in how seriously Taiwan approaches its own defense, and it deserves real recognition," he added.
The dialogue continues with panels on maritime security, autonomous systems and gray zone resilience. ◼ (At time of reporting, US$1 equals approximately NT$31.48)