Taiwan’s president pushes to increase defense budget amid rising threat from China

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te said Thursday that the island’s defense budget will exceed 3% of its economic output as it overhauls its military in the face of the rising threat from China.

Along with the latest equipment — much of it from the United States, the military is seeking funds to retain more service people with higher pay and to lengthen compulsory national service from four months to one year.

In a speech Thursday to the American Chamber of Commerce, Lai said his administration is determined to “ensure that our defense budget exceeds 3% of the GDP. At the same time, we will continue to reform national defense.”

Lai’s comments were the latest reassurance to U.S. and domestic critics who say Taiwan is not spending enough on its own defense. The self-governing island, which relies on the U.S. for much of its cutting-edge weaponry, currently spends about 2.45% of its gross domestic product on its military.

U.S. President Donald Trump has demanded that Taiwan increase defense spending as high as 10% of GDP, a proportion well above what the U.S. or any of its major allies spend, in order to deter China.

China’s actions have also unsettled neighbors in the South China Sea and other parts of the Indo-Pacific.

Leaders in Australia and New Zealand have said China should have given them more warning before its navy conducted an unusual series of live fire exercises in the seas between the two countries last month, forcing flights to divert on short notice.

Lai said that Taiwan plans to “advance our cooperation with the U.S. and other democracies in upholding regional stability and prosperity.”

China considers the self-governing democracy of Taiwan as part of its own territory and has significantly boosted its military to make good on its threat to invade the island to assert its control.

Raymond Greene, the de-facto U.S. ambassador to Taiwan; Dan Silver, the chamber chairperson; and Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy attended the speech.

Taiwan and the U.S. have no formal diplomatic ties but American law requires Washington respond to threats toward the island.

 

Sen. Warren says banking panel should focus on Trump’s attacks on Fed independence

NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, about Stephen Miran's nomination to the Fed and the central bank's independence.

Are creatine supplements all that they’re pumped up to be?

Creatine supplements have long become increasingly popular as social media influencers tout their benefits. What does the evidence say?

RFK Jr. to face questions about chaos at the CDC

Democratic lawmakers and more than a thousand current and former HHS staff say Kennedy's actions are endangering America's health. Kennedy says he came to clean house and he's delivering.

Fox bosses privately called U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro ‘reckless maniac’ and more

Her colleagues made those remarks after the 2020 presidential election, when Pirro used her platform to amplify baseless claims of election fraud. She is now the U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C.

Alabama looks to solve two problems at once by helping formerly incarcerated people enter the workforce

The state incarcerates more of its people than most others, and when they’re released, those with criminal records struggle to find jobs – increasing the likelihood they’ll reoffend. Meanwhile, many businesses can’t find enough skilled workers.

How the Education Department is using civil rights laws to bring schools to heel

The Trump administration is using decades-old laws, meant to prevent discrimination, to threaten school districts and states with cuts to vital federal funding.

More Front Page Coverage