Taipei: Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen announced plans on Wednesday to propose an additional $40 billion (1.29 trillion baht) in its defense budget. This move highlights Taiwan's commitment to self-defense amid escalating threats from China.
According to Thai News Agency, President Tsai unveiled a NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.89 billion) supplementary budget package, emphasizing that history has shown that compromising in the face of aggression results only in subjugation. During a press conference at the Presidential Office, she asserted that Taiwan's sovereignty is inviolable and that the island's future rests with its 23 million citizens. She stated that there is no room for compromise on issues of national security, and that Taiwan's core values of freedom and democracy form the foundation of its sovereignty.
In response to demands from Washington for increased defense spending, similar to pressures on Europe, President Lai indicated in August the goal to elevate defense spending to 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030. Senior US official Raymond Green, who serves as the de facto US ambassador to Taipei, expressed support via Facebook for Taiwan's acquisition of capabilities to address potential imbalances. He described the announcement as a key step in maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait by bolstering national deterrence.
China, which claims sovereignty over Taiwan, has intensified military and political pressure in recent years to reinforce its claim, a stance that Taipei firmly rejects. In Beijing, Peng Qing-en, spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, criticized Taiwan for allowing foreign influences to guide its decisions. He argued that Taiwan's defense spending diverts funds from improving citizens' livelihoods and economic development, warning that this approach could lead to adverse outcomes.