Taiwan: 'China accelerates preparations for forceful action'. And announces 40 billion in military spending
Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te announced today that he will present a special budget of USD 40 billion for arms procurement, including the construction of a Taiwan Dome, an air defence system
China is "accelerating military preparations" in its efforts to take control of Taiwan by force. This was said by President William Lai, who added at a press conference that Taipei's military aims to "achieve a high level of readiness" against a military action by China by 2027, the centenary year of the founding of the People's Liberation Army, Beijing's armed forces. The Taiwanese government, Lai noted, will work to counter any attempts at 'repression' and achieve a 'high level of combat readiness' within two years.
Taiwan: China willing to alter status quo by force
"Beijing's willingness to alter the status quo by force has become increasingly evident". This was stated by Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te, who added that China's extraordinary military build-up, together with increasing provocations in the Taiwan Strait, the East China Sea, the South China Sea and the Indo-Pacific region more generally, highlights the region's vulnerabilities. Local media report this. Lai announced today that he will present a special budget of USD 40 billion for arms purchases, including the construction of a Taiwan Dome, an air defence system with high-level detection and interception capabilities, in the face of US pressure for the island to increase its defence spending. The money will be used to buy weapons from the US.
Taiwan: 40 billion for arms purchase to support defence
Taiwan's president, Lai Ching-te, has announced that he will present a special budget of USD 40 billion for arms procurement, including the construction of a Taiwan Dome, an air defence system with high-level detection and interception capabilities, in the face of US pressure for the island to increase its defence spending.
The budget will be spread over eight years, from 2026 to 2033, and comes after Lai had already pledged to increase defence spending to five per cent of the island's GDP. Currently, Taiwan has budgeted an increase in the defence budget to 3.3 per cent for 2026, allocating 949.5 billion new Taiwanese dollars, i.e. the official currency, or about USD 31.18 billion. Lai had anticipated the announcement in an op-ed published in the Washington Post on Wednesday, saying the special budget would be used to buy weapons from the US.
