Taiwan will construct a dome-like air defense network to strengthen its protection against “hostile threats,” President William Lai announced Friday, describing the system as a national security priority amid rising military pressure from China.
Lai, speaking during Taiwan’s National Day, stopped short of naming China directly. But the statement came just one day after Taipei’s defense ministry warned that Beijing was rapidly improving its ability to launch an attack on the island.
“There is a clear necessity to boost spending,” Lai said — a likely reference to the growing number of Chinese military incursions into Taiwan’s airspace and waters. The president emphasized that the planned “Taiwan Dome”, or T-Dome, will feature “multi-layered defense, high-level detection, and effective interception,” designed to “weave a safety net” to protect the population.
Unnamed sources cited by Reuters compared the new system to Israel’s Iron Dome, which has demonstrated its effectiveness in intercepting short-range weapons since the war with Hamas began in 2023. Israel’s system has since stopped thousands of rockets launched by Hamas and Hezbollah, even under extreme combat conditions.
According to Lai, Taiwan will raise defense spending to more than 3% of its GDP next year and up to 5% by 2030, reflecting what he described as a “clear necessity” for readiness. The proposal, however, faces political hurdles — the opposition-controlled legislature has already blocked several major defense appropriations this year.
Beijing’s reaction was swift. Guo Jiakun, spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry, accused Lai of “distorting facts” and “misleading public opinion,” calling him a “troublemaker” and “warmonger.” Guo repeated Beijing’s long-standing claim that “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China’s territory.”
Analysts in Taiwan said Lai’s proposal carries both strategic and political dimensions. Hung-Jen Wang, a political scientist at National Cheng Kung University, said, “If the system is modeled after Israel’s, it will require a massive budget. It won’t be easy.”
Dennis Weng of Sam Houston State University added, “The building of the T-Dome won’t happen quickly,” noting that “it will take longer than the remainder of Lai’s term to build the dome,” and suggesting that the announcement was “clearly aimed at the US.”
Although Washington is legally obligated to help arm Taiwan in case of an attack, President Donald Trump’s administration has repeatedly urged Taipei to strengthen its own defense capabilities. The United States remains Taiwan’s most important security partner, though officials in both capitals recognize the island must expand its domestic deterrence infrastructure.
Lai used his National Day address to call on Beijing to ease tensions in the Taiwan Strait. “China should demonstrate the responsibility befitting a major power,” he said, urging Beijing to renounce the use of force and coercion.
“Looking back at World War Two, we see that so many experienced the suffering of war and the pain of invasion,” Lai added. “We should learn from these lessons and ensure that the tragedies of history are never repeated.”
Reviled by Beijing as a “separatist”, Lai has taken a firmer stance toward China than his predecessor Tsai Ing-wen, investing heavily in military modernization and civilian defense initiatives.
In July, Taiwan conducted its largest and longest annual military exercise, designed to prepare the population for a possible invasion while showcasing its growing defensive capability.
The proposed T-Dome system reflects both the urgency and complexity of Taiwan’s defense transformation. Implementing a network comparable to Israel’s Iron Dome would require major financial and industrial resources — and years of integration.