Taiwan's president is pushing the military to lean on drones and new technology as a cheaper way to counter a bigger rival, a defensive move rather than an escalation.

• President Lai Ching-te told newly promoted generals the military must adopt "asymmetric" warfare thinking, using drones and emerging tech as force multipliers against a larger threat.
• The push responds to pressure from authoritarian expansion and so-called gray-zone harassment, a reference to China's regular military and coast guard activity near Taiwan.
• Lai stressed troops still need solid logistics, equipment upkeep, and cybersecurity alongside the new tech, and that leadership must take care of rank-and-file soldiers' training and welfare.
• Several officers were promoted to general, spanning air force command, army logistics, chemical defense, defense procurement, and marine amphibious units.

Outlook: Expect Taiwan to keep investing in drones and asymmetric defense tech as tensions with China persist, with no sign of near-term de-escalation.