The Ministry of National Defense (MND) yesterday said it would upgrade the nation’s combat capabilities and seek an increased budget to preserve national security.
The ministry made the remarks in response to the release of a US Department of Defense report that describes China’s rapid military modernization, its growing threat to Taiwan and the possibility of US intervention in the region.
Ministry spokesman Major General David Lo (羅紹和) said in a news release yesterday that the Pentagon report to the US Congress contained concerns about Taiwan’s security.
According to the MND statement, concerns addressed in the Pentagon report included whether Taiwan’s superiority in military technology and the geographic advantages of island defense are being eroded or negated by China’s increasingly modern weapons and platforms: more than 1,200 conventional ballistic missiles, an antiship ballistic missile program, ships and submarines and combat aircraft, as well as improved command and communications capabilities.
Under a section on Taiwan’s Defensive Capabilities, the report raised concerns on the nation’s military downsizing program and its transition to an all-volunteer military; it also highlighted that Taiwanese military spending has dropped to about 2 percent of GDP, whereas China’s official defense budget has grown to about 10 times that of Taiwan.
On this, the ministry said the defense budget was adjusted in accordance with the threat faced by the nation, progress in a planned armed forces buildup and troop readjustment programs.
“Also, the national defense budget was allocated based on the needs of these programs, while taking into consideration the government’s fiscal strength and the prevailing public opinions and views,” Lo said.
“Although the current defense budget is not at 3 percent of national GDP, if the government agrees to major arms procurements in the future, then secondary reserve funds or other special program funds can be allocated to meet the mandates of new military plans and policies,” Lo said.
The ministry would improve the defense and combat capabilities of the nation’s troops and submit requests for sufficient funding in the future,” he added.
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