The top US diplomat in Taiwan has called for turning the self-administered Chinese island into a “hornet’s nest” of air, surface and subsurface drones, as Washington continues to expand military cooperation with Taipei despite repeated warnings from Beijing.

The US does not formally recognize Taiwan as a sovereign state but remains its main military backer and arms supplier, and maintains diplomatic ties through a quasi-embassy, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT). Its director, Raymond Greene, claimed on Thursday that drones represented a “game-changing opportunity” to strengthen Taiwan’s security and bolster what he described as a “broader deterrence posture.”

“The US and Taiwan can anchor ‘democratic’ drone production and strengthen the collective deterrence posture of the free world,” Greene said at a drone forum in the central city of Taichung.

“Fortunately for Taiwan, drones have significantly boosted defenders, even when facing overwhelming odds,” he added, citing the Ukraine conflict. “Nothing will deter conflict more effectively than turning Taiwan into a hornet’s nest of air, surface, and subsurface drones.”

Beijing considers Taiwan an inalienable part of China under the One China principle and has repeatedly accused Washington of encouraging separatist forces on the island through arms sales, military contacts and political messaging.

The remarks came just days after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to handle Taiwan-related issues with “the utmost caution,” and warned that “a slight move on the Taiwan issue could affect the whole situation.”

The June 30 call followed a mid-May meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump in Beijing, where Xi reportedly warned that mishandling disagreements over Taiwan could push China-US relations into an “extremely dangerous place.”

Taipei’s current leadership has sought to expand so-called asymmetric military capabilities, including drones and unmanned systems, while relying heavily on US weapons supplies. In May, the opposition-dominated legislature approved only two-thirds of a proposed $40 billion extra defense package requested by Taiwanese leader Lai Ching-te, earmarking the funds only for US arms over fears of domestic corruption.

Chinese officials have repeatedly condemned US arms sales to Taipei, imposing sanctions on American defense firms. Beijing has intensified military and maritime activity around Taiwan in recent months, describing its operations as legitimate measures to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Xi has said that China’s reunification is “unstoppable” and has tied the issue to what Beijing calls the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.” During a rare meeting with opposition Kuomintang chairwoman Cheng Li-wun in April, he said no changes in the international situation would alter that historical trend, while pledging support for peaceful cross-Strait relations.