Legislator from the ruling DPP Liu Shyh-fang says Taiwan should raise its defense budget to US$15.8 billion. That came during a press conference Liu held on Wednesday morning.
In 2021 Taiwan spent US$12 billion on national defense. Liu says over the past five years, Taiwan’s defense spending has been less than 2% of GDP. She says staff maintenance currently takes up nearly half of defense funding. She says that proportion is too high.
Liu’s proposed budget would put defense spending at 2.67% of GDP. Her call to increase the defense budget comes after China increased military activity around Taiwan. Liu says raising the defense budget will put people at ease.
In early August, US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made an unannounced visit to Taiwan. Beijing, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, responded to the visit by ramping up military exercises around Taiwan.