After the passage of its "Anti-Secession" Law, China launched a media, legal and psychological warfare campaign aimed at undermining Taiwan's psychological defenses and creating a false impression of peace across the Taiwan Strait.
China's military expansion has made the international community worry about stability in the Asia-Pacific region. For despite its claim that it strives for diplomatic peace, internal harmony and cross-strait reconciliation, Beijing, which does not face a threat from other countries, has greatly increased its military expenditure and done so in a less than transparent fashion.
This raises concerns about the true meaning of China's so-called "peaceful rising" and its impact on regional security.
In light of this threat, Taiwan should increase its defense spending to 3 percent of GDP next year. By so doing, its armed forces could purchase cutting-edge defensive weaponry to bolster self-defense capabilities.
Chang Wenguang
Taichung
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