Taiwan stages missile and drone drills before Trump-Xi summit on China tensions

Taipei,UPDATED: Sep 18, 2026 18:12 IST

Taiwan on Friday held military drills involving missiles and drones ahead of next week's summit in the United States between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, where the future of the self-ruled island is expected to be discussed. China claims Taiwan as its own breakaway province and has not ruled out the use of force to bring it under its control.

Beijing has pressed Trump to take a stronger stand against Taiwan's independence. Trump and Xi are due to meet on September 24 in their first meeting since May, with US arms sales to Taiwan among the key issues between the two sides.

Taiwan's drills included, for the first time, joint combat exercises involving several types of attack drones. President Lai Ching-te said the exercises showed the military's modernisation. "The coordinated use of unmanned vehicles with conventional weapons reflects the adaptation to modern warfare," he said, according to a statement issued by his office.

The statement did not say what types of drones were tested in southern Pingtung county. The military also fired several anti-air, anti-ship and anti-landing missiles during the exercises. Taiwan has increased military spending in recent years and relies on arms purchases from the United States, which is required under its own laws to provide the island with the means to defend itself.

US arms sales to Taiwan have been at the centre of talks between Trump and Xi. After their last summit in May, Trump postponed a planned USD 14 billion arms package for Taiwan, raising doubts about the US commitment to the island. Trump had called the arms sales a "very good negotiating chip" with China. Taiwan's army will continue drills next week, including exercises involving newly bought US-made HIMARS rocket systems and Stinger missile simulators, as the island keeps up its preparations ahead of the Trump-Xi meeting.

With PTI Inputs

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