Taiwan Plans 14% Boost in Defense Spending to Counter China
- Cabinet to increase budget for power grid, birthrate policies
- Officials outline record 20% rise in total government spending
The surge in defense spending would come as Taiwan faces increased pressure to fend off daily Chinese incursions across the median line of the Taiwan Strait.
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Taiwan proposed raising its total spending on the military by almost 14% next year, contributing to what’s expected to be a record increase in the government’s budget as it bolsters its defenses from a surge in Chinese military activity.
The cabinet signed off on spending plans for 2023 at its weekly meeting Thursday. At a briefing in Taipei, officials outlined plans to increase the annual defense budget to NT$397.4 billion ($13.2 billion), along with a proposal to include an additional special budget for purchases of military hardware.