Taiwan's Tsai Seeks $11 Bn Defence Budget As China Threat Grows
Sumaira FH Published August 06, 2018 | 07:49 PM
Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen said Monday she is seeking to ramp up spending on the armed forced, as relations with China deteriorate.
Taipei, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Aug, 2018 ) :Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen said Monday she is seeking to ramp up spending on the armed forced, as relations with China deteriorate.
Her proposal to increase the 2019 defence budget by 5.6 percent to Tw$346 billion ($11.3 billion) will go before parliament following the summer recess.
Beijing sees democratic self-ruling Taiwan as part of its territory to be brought back into its fold, by force if necessary.
China has stepped up pressure on Taiwan since Tsai came to power two years ago, as her government refuses to acknowledge the island is part of "one China".
It has staged a string of air and naval exercises, including a live-fire drill in the Taiwan Strait in April, which Chinese officials said were aimed at Taiwan's "independence forces".
"There have been many changes in international and regional situations and our national security is faced with more obvious and complicated threats," Tsai said Monday as she attended a naval ceremony and announced the defence spending plan.
Up Tw$18.3 billion from the previous year, it would account for 2.16 percent of the GDP.
The 2018 defence budget was only up 1.9 percent on the year before, at Tw$327.7 billion.
Around a fifth of the 2019 budget would be spent on "defence self-sufficiency" projects, Tsai said.
Taiwan wants to beef up its homegrown defence systems, particularly its submarines.
The United States government this year approved a licence required to sell submarine technology to Taiwan, part of warming relations between the two sides.
Although the US does not have official diplomatic relations with Taipei after switching recognition to Beijing in 1979, it remains Taiwan's most powerful ally and arms supplier.
A long-stalled offer approved by then US president George W Bush in 2001 to supply eight conventional submarines has never come to fruition.
Last year, Taiwan also announced its bid to create a new generation of locally built jet trainers by 2026.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
HEC reviews curricula for environmental sciences degree programme
ICC Asia looking forward to an action-packed Asia Cricket Week
Yuvraj Singh named ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Ambassador
Greece hands Olympic flame to 2024 Paris Games hosts
Two Kyiv hospitals evacuating over feared Russian strikes
World must act on neurotech revolution, say experts
Charles & Catherine's cancer diagnoses
Champions Alcaraz and Sabalenka through in Madrid Open
King Charles to resume some public duties during cancer treatment: palace
US defense chief announces $6 bn in security aid for Ukraine
Heavy rains cause damage to Spezand-Taftan railway track
Woman stabbed in Israel, attacker killed: police
More Stories From World
-
NFL will allow players to wear Guardian Cap helmets in games
5 hours ago -
Football: German Bundesliga table
5 hours ago -
Football: Italian Serie A result
5 hours ago -
Football: German Bundesliga results
5 hours ago -
US troops to leave Chad in second African state withdrawal
5 hours ago -
Plastics pollution may be solved without production cap: Canada minister
5 hours ago
-
Biden stalls on menthol cigarette ban fearing Black vote backlash
5 hours ago -
Champions Alcaraz and Sabalenka through in Madrid Open
5 hours ago -
6,000 French police to welcome Olympic torch amid bonus boost
6 hours ago -
Taiwan hit by several quakes, strongest reaching 6.1-magnitude
6 hours ago -
'Ballistic' Bairstow stars as Punjab pull off record T20 chase
6 hours ago -
Tennis: ATP/WTA Madrid Open results - 2nd update
6 hours ago