The archipelago nation of 270 million people, Southeast Asia's biggest economy, is seeking to modernise its military but has lagged its regional peers in recent years.

He says the army has enough servicemen.

News of Cubans ending up in the Russian military hit headlines this month when the Havana government said it had arrested 17 people connected with a human-trafficking ring that lured Cubans to fight for Moscow.

To date, Britain and its allies have avoided a formal military presence in Ukraine to reduce the risk of a direct conflict with Russia.

Taipei has reported a rise in military activity in recent weeks, including exercises on land facing the island.

The event comes as the president has taken a hawkish stance on North Korea, making displays of weapons and military drills a cornerstone of his strategy to counter the North's evolving nuclear and missile programmes.

Taiwan has made the indigenous sub programme a key part of an ambitious project to modernise its armed forces as Beijing stages almost daily military exercises to assert its sovereignty.

Taiwan has reported an increase in such activity during the past week, as dozens of fighters, drones, bombers and other aircraft, as well as warships, have operated nearby.

Mohajer-10 has an operational range of 2,000km and can fly for up to 24 hours, state media reports.

China's long-term military modernisation efforts are bearing fruit, with a string of upgrades for its warships and warplanes under way amid intensifying tensions in the Indo-Pacific, particularly the Taiwan Strait.

The prime minister says the nature of the purchases will be left to the armed forces to decide.

All 10 members of Asean will join the exercise, including prospective member East Timor.