Taiwan revealed on Tuesday its first explosive drone, similar to an American model used in Ukraine in the war against Russia, amid Chinese military pressure on the island.

The army's "National Chung-shan Institute of Science and Technology" introduced the new march, a mobile munition similar to the American "Switchblade 300" aircraft currently used by Ukrainian soldiers in the conflict between their country and Russia.

The institute indicated that this aircraft, manufactured in Taiwan and small enough to be carried in a backpack, can fly in the air for 15 minutes. Like all marches of this type, it can only be used once and self-destructs on the first hit.

Chi Li-bin, head of the military's aviation systems research department, explained that the drone is "lightweight and portable (and (like) a large flying hand grenade)."

He pointed out that Taiwan is also working on developing a new generation of "suicide marches", including larger marches to launch attacks at longer distances.

Relations between China and Taiwan have been strained, especially since Beijing considers the island an integral part of its territory and asserts that it will one day regain it by force if necessary.

Last year, Sino-American relations reached their lowest point in August after then-Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi visited the island.

In response to Pelosi's visit, Beijing launched massive military exercises around Taiwan.
In October, the Communist Party included in its constitution a reference to its "strong opposition" to Taiwan independence.