Taiwan is to introduce a US$40 billion supplementary defense budget to underscore its determination to defend itself, with "significant" new US arms purchases planned, President William Lai (賴清德) said in a Washington Post op-ed published yesterday.
Taiwan faces calls from Washington to spend more on its own defense, mirroring pressure from the US on Europe.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
In August, Lai said he hoped defense spending would reach 5 percent of GDP by 2030.
"This landmark package will not only fund significant new arms acquisitions from the United States, but also vastly enhance Taiwan's asymmetrical capabilities," he wrote in the Washington Post piece, which was published yesterday US time.
"In doing so, we aim to bolster deterrence by inserting greater costs and uncertainties into Beijing's decisionmaking on the use of force," he said.
Lai has previously announced he would propose extra defense spending, but had not given details.
Lai is to hold a news conference, alongside Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄), later this morning, after holding a meeting of senior security officials, his office said.
For next year, the government is proposing defense spending would reach NT$949.5 billion (US$30.27 billion).
At 3.32 percent of GDP, the figure crosses a threshold of 3 percent for the first time since 2009, government figures showed.
The US is bound by law to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties.
However, since US President Donald Trump returned to office, his administration has so far only approved one new arms sale to Taiwan, a US$330 million package for fighter jet and other aircraft parts announced earlier this month.
"We are grateful that President Donald Trump has made clear the importance of American leadership around the world. The international community is safer today because of the Trump administration's pursuit of peace through strength," Lai wrote.
He reiterated his commitment to seeking talks with China.
"While we will continue to pursue opportunities for cross-strait dialogue, with the understanding that our democracy and freedom remain non-negotiable, we remain grounded by more than wishful thinking, as some have suggested," Lai wrote.
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