Taiwan is preparing to boost its military strength with a special defence budget of up to $33 billion, in what could be the island’s largest ever security investment to counter threats from China.
A senior lawmaker, Wang Ting-yu of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), confirmed the plan in an interview with AFP, saying the Ministry of National Defence is finalising a special allocation of between NT$800 billion and NT$1 trillion ($26–33 billion) to be spread over seven years.
Wang, who sits on the parliamentary Foreign Affairs and National Defence Committee, explained that the exact figure would depend on ongoing negotiations with Washington over arms sales that may be included in the package.
“We want to build a complete defence ecology to defend our country,” Wang said, calling the initiative a “huge” step forward in strengthening Taiwan’s self-defence capacity.
The budget is expected to cover a wide range of upgrades, including:
Integration of air defence systems,
Acquisition of advanced technology from foreign partners to better detect small drones, rockets, and missiles,
READ ALSO: Typhoon Gaemi disrupts flights, rail, threatens landslides in Taiwan
Faster response systems against potential strikes, and
Expanded domestic capacity to produce and store ammunition.
Taiwan, which Beijing claims as part of its territory, faces growing military pressure as China has not ruled out the use of force to bring the island under its control.
The new funding drive underscores Taipei’s push to shore up its defences amid mounting cross-strait tensions.