The first edition of Taiwan Security Monitor Weekly is now live on our Substack! Taiwan Security Monitor Weekly is a weekly briefing on the most important security, military, diplomatic, and political developments affecting Taiwan and the Taiwan Strait. Drawing on official releases, open-source research, and TSM analysis, it highlights what happened, why it matters, trends in PLA activity and cross-Strait messaging, and key developments to watch. The brief is published every Monday, providing readers with a focused overview of the previous week and a look ahead at the week to come. Check it out here: taiwansecuritymonitor.substa…

Taiwan’s Military Police Command plans to nearly double its force from 5,600 to 11,000 personnel over the next five years as it expands its role in the defense of Taipei. The force is expected to protect key government sites, roads, bridges, and power infrastructure while preparing to counter potential PLA “decapitation” operations against Taiwan’s political leadership. The command also plans to procure vehicle-mounted M-ACE counter-UAS systems, which pair a 30mm chain gun with a reported engagement range of up to 3 km. The expansion would add a new base in southern Taipei and further integrate the Military Police into the capital’s layered urban defense alongside Army and Marine units.

U.S. President Donald Trump and PRC President Xi Jinping did not answer reporters’ questions on whether Taiwan was discussed during their Sept. 24 White House meeting. However, PRC state media reported that Xi raised Taiwan directly, reiterating Beijing’s position on “national unification and territorial integrity” and calling on Washington to oppose “Taiwan independence” and “prudently handle the Taiwan question.” As of Thursday night, the White House has not released a readout of the meeting. The summit marked Xi’s first visit to the White House in 11 years and his second meeting with Trump this year, following their May summit in Beijing.

Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration has begun permanently stationing newly built 100-ton patrol vessels at Dongsha Island following the completion of pier upgrades in July. The larger vessels had previously only deployed there for special operations due to docking limitations. Their permanent presence is intended to strengthen Taiwan’s ability to respond to PRC Coast Guard activity and illegal Chinese fishing around Dongsha.

Taiwan’s Air Force plans to establish a sixth brigade under the Air Defense and Missile Command in 2027, dedicated to protecting air-defense and missile units. The new guard brigade will consolidate existing Air Force military police elements and incorporate conscripts to provide security for Patriot and Sky Bow batteries, mobile launchers, air bases, and radar sites. The reorganization is intended to place missile operations and ground security under a more unified command structure as Taiwan expands its air-defense force and increases the number of fixed and mobile missile positions. The command currently fields five missile brigades, including the 791st Brigade, which operates surface-to-surface strike systems.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said pending arms sales to Taiwan remain under review as Washington weighs Taiwan’s requirements against U.S. military stockpiles, industrial capacity, and the ability to replenish weapons. Rubio said the process is not specific to Taiwan, but reflects broader tradeoffs across U.S. global commitments. The comments come ahead of the Sept. 24 Trump–Xi meeting and amid continued attention to a prospective $14 billion Taiwan arms package, which President Trump said in May would be decided on soon. The administration approved more than $11 billion in Taiwan arms sales last December.

The Armaments Bureau of Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense will conduct recurring live-fire exercises off Yilan from October 1st through December 31st, with a 6 NM danger area established just off Taiwan’s northeast coast. Live-ammunition activity is expected across most weeks through the end of the year.

The ROCN has awarded CSBC-affiliated Jong Shyn Shipbuilding an NT$807.56 million contract for two new harbor tugs, ending a procurement effort that has faced repeated delays for nearly a decade. Delivery is scheduled by August 2029. The new tugs will support the movement of larger ROC Navy vessels in port, including the 10,000+ ton Yushan-class LPD and future submarines and surface combatants. Many of the Navy’s existing 1,200–1,800 hp tugs were built between 1987 and 2002, with some now more than 30 years old. The Navy originally planned to acquire seven tugs of at least 3,200 hp, but rising shipbuilding costs and unsuccessful tenders led it to shift toward phased procurement, beginning with these two vessels.

President Lai Ching-te called for deeper Taiwan–Japan cooperation on regional security, resilient supply chains, semiconductors, and drones during a Sept. 23 meeting with a Japan Innovation Party delegation led by lawmaker Maehara Seiji. Maehara stressed the importance of maintaining deterrence against attempts to change the regional status quo by force and said Japanese lawmakers were closely watching the upcoming U.S.–China summit, including its potential implications for U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. The delegation also highlighted AI and semiconductor cooperation as an increasingly important component of Taiwan–Japan ties.

The American Institute in Taiwan has appointed veteran U.S. diplomat Judy Kuo as acting deputy director. Kuo most recently led the State Department’s Office of Taiwan Coordination and previously served in Taipei, Moscow, London, Kazakhstan, and the Office of UN Political Affairs.

Taiwan’s indigenous submarine prototype Hai Kun (SS-711) departed Kaohsiung on Sept. 23 for its 22nd sea trial and 16th submersible test, marking its second sea trial this week as the vessel continues harbor and sea acceptance testing. The accelerated testing tempo has raised the possibility that Hai Kun could be delivered to the ROC Navy in October, though all required testing must first be completed. Rear Adm. Lin Chih-hao, commander of the Navy’s 256th Submarine Squadron, accompanied the submarine during an earlier trial this week.

Taiwan’s MND publicly demonstrated its domestically developed 105mm "Cheetah" mobile gun system in a live-fire exercise for the first time on Sept. 23. The vehicle engaged moving and stationary targets at ranges of 1–1.2 km and fired its main gun and coaxial machine gun simultaneously to simulate engaging amphibious combat vehicles. The MND plans to procure 178 vehicles, with mass production scheduled to begin in 2027. The latest design is roughly 30 cm lower than the original prototype and has a reduced turning radius intended to improve mobility in Taiwan’s urban and mountainous terrain. Officials also said the production model is expected to receive additional counter-UAS protection, including an anti-drone cage and potentially a 25mm or 30mm weapon for engaging small drones.

Taiwan has launched a new seed industry development project in Somaliland, including an agricultural demonstration and training farm. Running through 2030, the initiative will focus on seed quality, testing, production, and technology transfer to strengthen food security and climate resilience. The project is part of Taiwan’s expanding cooperation with Somaliland across agriculture, healthcare, and infrastructure.

Images from an ROCA Artillery Training Command showcase, featuring several newly fielded systems at Tangshan Camp on Sept. 22, including M142 HIMARS, the land-based Sky Sword II, Bee Eye radar, and Stinger air-defense simulators. 📸: Li Mingze, Youth Daily

Taiwan’s 53rd Engineer Group conducted a live bridge-demolition exercise in Yilan on Sept. 22, working with the local government during reconstruction of the Xizhou No. 3 Bridge. Engineers assessed the bridge structure, surrounding terrain, explosive requirements, placement, and safety procedures before carrying out the demolition. The Army said the exercise was its second bridge-demolition mission this year and part of a broader effort to turn classroom instruction into practical wartime route-denial experience.

The ROCA unveiled simulators for man-portable and dual-mounted Stinger air-defense systems on Sept. 22, highlighting their use for training against airborne threats, including drones. The simulators can replicate different weather, terrain, and target conditions while allowing crews to practice target tracking, lock-on, communications, and shared positioning. Taiwan expects deliveries from earlier 500-missile Stinger purchases to begin later this year, while a separate request for 2,121 additional missiles remains pending.

The ROCA conducted the Thunderbolt Exercise at Jiupeng on Sept. 22, with rocket companies from the 21st and 58th Artillery Commands firing Thunderbolt-2000 multiple-launch rocket systems. Crews rehearsed ammunition loading, tactical movement, position occupation, and live fire against maritime targets using MK45, MK30, and MK15 rockets, testing equipment proficiency, command and control, and coordinated fire-support procedures. 📸: Wang Mingsheng, Military News Agency