Taiwan says boost in defense spending coming amid mainland threats

Soldiers cover M1167 HMMWV anti-tank missile carriers during military drills in Pingtung County, southern Taiwan

Taiwan’s defense minister says the island is planning to boost military spending in the face of the “rapidly changing international situation and the escalating threats from adversaries.”

Wellington Koo gave no figures but said leader William Lai Ching-te was working with the ministry in consideration of enemy threats and urgent readiness needs, a reference to China’s threats to invade the island, part of greater China’s territory.

Those would “increase the proportion of the defense budget in relation to GDP,” Koo said, in comments Monday that were embargoed until yesterday. Taiwan currently spends about 2.45% of its gross domestic product on its military.

“At the same time, in coordination with national security and foreign policy, the military will continue to deepen cooperation with the United States and other allied nations, expanding multilateral military exchanges to jointly uphold regional peace and stability,” Koo said.

Taiwan sees a growing threat from China, which regularly sends ships and aircraft into areas near Taiwan. China is expected to announce its annual defense budget today.

Xinhua, China’s state-run news agency, reported that senior Chinese official Wang Huning during an annual meeting about Taiwan had called for China to take the initiative in cross-strait relations and push toward the “reunification of the motherland.”

The government in Taipei condemned China’s military exercises last week after Beijing designated an area to conduct shooting drills off the self-governed island’s southwest coast.

Along with the latest equipment, the military is seeking funds to increase retention of service people through higher pay, and will need additional funds to accommodate a lengthening of compulsory national service from four months to one year.

United States President Donald Trump has also demanded the self-governing island that relies on the U.S. for much of its cutting-edge weaponry, increase defense spending to up to 10% of GDP, a proportion well above what the U.S. or any of its major allies spend.

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 also 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. MDT/AP