Taiwan's president told officers to prepare for a faster-changing world, framing China's growing pressure as the reason the island must keep upgrading its forces.

• Lai Ching-te gave the military three instructions: think in global strategic terms, absorb new knowledge and innovate, and take on leadership responsibility.
• He said China's threats and provocations against its neighbors are getting worse.
• He argued AI, drones, and space technology are reshaping what war looks like, so training and gear must change with them.
• The push is toward a "new generation" force built on joint operations and asymmetric warfare — cheaper, harder-to-hit systems that offset a bigger enemy.
• He promised the government will keep spending more on defense, saying peace only holds when backed by strength.

Outlook: Expect Taiwan to keep raising defense budgets and pushing AI and drone programs into regular military training.