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In this video, we’re going to explain Taiwan’s massive defence spending hike; its ‘porcupine’ or ‘hellscape’ plan to deter or defend against China; and why it’s proving particularly difficult.
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Sources:
Taiwan’s ‘hellscape’ strategy:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/09/world/asia/taiwan-drone-china-invasion.html
https://warontherocks.com/hellscape-taiwan-a-porcupine-defense-in-the-drone-age/
Proposed $40bn special defence budget:
https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF12481
Legislature passed smaller special defence budget:
https://dominotheory.com/taiwans-legislature-passes-reduced-special-defense-budget/
2026 general budget approved after record delay:
https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202608140026
Status of various budgetary proposals:
https://understandingwar.org/research/china-taiwan/china-taiwan-update-september-1-2026/
Government’s proposed $6.6bn drone budget:
https://asia.nikkei.com/politics/international-relations/taiwan-tensions/taiwan-opposition-blocks-lai-s-special-drone-budget-passes-alternative
https://thediplomat.com/2026/09/taiwan-finally-passed-its-2026-budget-what-got-cut/
https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/taiwan-prepares-a-7-billion-boost-to-drone-builders-to-counter-china-5c91ac2e
https://understandingwar.org/research/china-taiwan/china-taiwan-update-september-1-2026/
Taiwan’s domestic drone industry booming:
https://resiliencemedia.co/taiwans-drone-industry-is-booming-thanks-to-us-and-european-exports/
https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202609020029
Why passed drone budget might undermine drone industry:
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/taiwans-parliament-finally-passes-drone-bill-to-back-hedgehog-strategy/
Proposed 2027 budget:
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/taiwan-president-says-record-defence-spending-is-investment-peace-2026-08-17/
Gaps in civil defence:
https://thediplomat.com/2026/08/taiwans-missing-deterrent/
https://www.stimson.org/2025/taiwans-squandered-defensive-potential/
https://thediplomat.com/2025/08/taiwans-civil-society-is-not-ready-for-war/
https://taiwaninsight.org/2026/05/26/what-taiwans-resilience-planning-is-missing/
Military manpower/morale crises:
https://monocle.com/affairs/defence/taiwan-military-recruitment-china-threat/
https://asiatimes.com/2025/02/the-depths-of-taiwans-military-morale-crisis/
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3359352/can-taiwan-fix-its-military-manpower-shortage-training-reservists-advanced-weapons
0:00 Can Taiwan Defend Itself?
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