“Taiwan President Lai Tsinghe has announced plans to increase the country’s defense budget to a record and unveil an additional $40 billion funding package amid an unprecedentedly growing military threat from China.”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
Source: Lai Tsinde column for The Washington Post
Direct speech: “The unprecedented build-up of military power by the People’s Republic of China, combined with increased provocations in the Taiwan Strait, the East China and South China Seas, as well as throughout the Indo-Pacific region, have demonstrated the fragility of peace in the region. Beijing’s desire to change the status quo by force is becoming increasingly evident.”
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Details: According to Taiwan’s leader, to counter this threat, the Taiwanese government has developed a strategic plan to strengthen defense capabilities. Already in 2026, defense spending will increase to 3.3% of the gross domestic product, and by 2030, Lai plans to increase it to 5%, which “will be the largest stable investment in the military sphere in the modern history of the island.”
Direct speech: “My administration will introduce a record $40 billion in additional defense spending, underscoring our commitment to protecting Taiwan’s democracy. This landmark package will not only fund the purchase of significant new U.S. weapons, but will also greatly enhance Taiwan’s asymmetric capabilities.”
Details: The President explained that the purpose of such colossal investments is to strengthen the deterrence system. Taiwan seeks to increase the potential “cost of invasion” for China and reduce Beijing’s confidence in the success of a force scenario.
In his column, Lai paid special attention to cooperation with the United States and the administration of Donald Trump. The Taiwanese leader emphasized that the island will not only buy weapons from the United States, but also invest in its own advanced technology and expand its defense and industrial base.
“My message here is clear: Taiwan’s commitment to peace and stability is unwavering,” Lai stressed.
Prehistory:
- Tensions around Taiwan have risen significantly in recent months. In October 2024, China conducted large-scale military exercises “Joint Sword-2024B”, during which the encirclement of the island and the blockade of the ports were practiced.
- According to US intelligence, Xi Jinping ordered his military to be ready to conduct an operation with capture of Taiwan by 2027.
- In April 2025, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered that deterring a possible takeover of Taiwan by China be a top priority for the US military. For this, the Pentagon plans to strengthen the defense of the island, “taking risks” in Europe and other regions of the world, which are currently considered less threatening.