The Legislative Yuan should pass a stalled special defense budget to send a signal to China and the world that it is serious about peace through strength, US Senator Jim Banks said during a meeting with President William Lai (賴清德) in Taipei.
Lai last year proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.33 billion) in extra defense spending over eight years to counter China’s aggression.
The Legislative Yuan, where the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party have a majority, is debating the government's plan and competing, less expensive proposals.
Photo courtesy of the Presidential Office
Banks, a Republican who sits on the US Senate Committee on Armed Services, yesterday told Lai that he was providing leadership in expanding defense spending similar to that of US President Donald Trump, who has proposed US$1.5 trillion in defense spending, a video of the meeting provided by the Presidential Office showed.
"But your Legislative Yuan has to do its part and pass the special budget, and that's one message that I want to send to your leadership," Banks said.
"When you pass the special budget in the legislature, that is a signal to China, and to the rest of the world, that Taiwan is serious about peace through strength," he said. "I appreciate President Lai's leadership in making that happen."
Banks was one of a group of 37 bipartisan US lawmakers who in February wrote to senior Taiwanese politicians expressing concern about the legislature stalling defense spending plans.
A separate group of US lawmakers gave a similar message urging the legislature to pass the defense budget during a visit to Taipei last week.
Meanwhile, KMT Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) is visiting China and could meet Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平).
The KMT says it supports defense spending but refuses to sign "blank checks.”
Dialogue with Beijing is equally important, it says.
Lai told Banks that Taiwan "loved peace," but only strength could ensure it.
"Taiwan is willing to engage in dialogue, but no engagement can come at the cost of sacrificing democracy, freedom and national interests," he said.
China refuses to speak to Lai, saying he is a "separatist."
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