Lai unveils 'T-Dome' defense shield to protect Taiwan from China

President William Lai announced plans to build a high-tech “air defense dome” over Taiwan to counter mounting “hostile threats,” a move widely interpreted as a direct response to growing military pressure from China.

Speaking at Taiwan's National Day celebrations on Friday, Lai said the proposed defense network, dubbed the “T-Dome,” will provide a “multi-layered defense, high-level detection, and effective interception” system aimed at shielding the island from aerial attacks.

Although Lai avoided directly naming China, the announcement came just a day after his government warned that Beijing is rapidly enhancing its ability to carry out a full-scale assault on Taiwan. China claims the self-governed island as its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve unification.

“In the face of growing challenges, we must build a comprehensive safety net for our citizens,” Lai said, stressing a “clear necessity” to boost defense spending amid frequent Chinese military drills that simulate an invasion.

Sources familiar with the initiative told Reuters the T-Dome would be similar in concept to Israel’s Iron Dome — a defense system credited with intercepting thousands of short-range rockets during conflicts with Hamas and Hezbollah.

The Israeli system's success has reignited global interest in air defense technology, especially among nations facing asymmetrical or sudden missile threats.

While the full details of Taiwan’s T-Dome remain under wraps, Lai described it as a forward-looking initiative that will require significant investment and time to complete.

The president also pledged to increase Taiwan’s defense spending to over 3 percent of GDP in 2026, with a long-term goal of 5 percent by 2030. However, progress may be slowed by the opposition-controlled legislature, which has blocked several key military spending bills this year.

Analysts warn that while the T-Dome shows Taiwan’s commitment to bolstering its defenses, implementation will not be easy.

“If the system is truly modeled after Israel’s, it will require a massive budget and years of development,” said Hung-Jen Wang, a political scientist at National Cheng Kung University.

Dennis Weng of Sam Houston State University noted that the announcement may carry more symbolic than immediate military weight: “The building of the T-Dome won’t happen quickly. This looks like a message aimed at the U.S., showing that Taiwan is serious about its own defense.”

Taiwanese society remains divided over how to best respond to China’s aggression. Supporters applaud Lai’s push to modernize and strengthen the military, while critics accuse him of using the threat of war to rally domestic support and harden cross-strait tensions.

Opposition leaders have called for more diplomatic engagement with Beijing, arguing that militarization risks provoking the very conflict Taiwan seeks to avoid.

However, Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense has warned that China’s military drills could quickly transition into real attacks, catching the island off guard. In July, Taiwan held its largest-ever annual military exercise, showcasing readiness and deterrence.

In his speech, Lai urged China to “renounce the use of force and coercion” in the Taiwan Strait and invoked the horrors of World War II as a warning against repeating history.

“Looking back at World War Two, we see that so many experienced the suffering of war and the pain of invasion,” he said. “We should learn from these lessons and ensure that the tragedies of history are never repeated.”

Beijing has yet to respond to the announcement, but it has previously condemned similar defense moves as “provocative” and “separatist.”

Lai, known for taking a firmer stance than his predecessor Tsai Ing-wen, continues to draw Beijing’s ire. Chinese officials regularly label him a “separatist,” and cross-strait tensions remain at their highest in decades.

While the T-Dome may take years to complete, analysts say its symbolism is clear: Taiwan is preparing for the worst — and ensuring its allies, especially the United States, are watching.