Taiwan legislature approves $25 billion for US arms purchases
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 8
Taiwan legislature approves $25 billion for US arms purchases
17 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 8
The special funds, down from President Lai Ching-te's proposed $40 billion, are for missiles and other weapons before next week's Trump-Xi summit.
The vote ends months of wrangling between Lai's Washington-leaning camp and an opposition bloc seen as more sympathetic to Beijing.
Taiwan faces pressure from the Trump administration to raise defence spending as China claims the island and warns Washington to handle arms sales with extreme caution.
Does Taiwan’s new $25 billion military budget make the world’s chip supply safer, or does it invite disaster?
Is Taiwan’s multi-billion dollar 'T-Dome' a formidable shield or a costly target for China's massive drone army?
Can tens of thousands of cheap drones create a 'Hellscape' to halt the world's largest navy at the water's edge?
Taiwan's Ambitious $40B Defense Budget Aims for 5% GDP Spending by 2030 Despite Political Gridlock
Overview
Taiwan's Executive Yuan proposed a comprehensive NT$1.25 trillion defense budget in late 2025 to counter China's growing military threat, including a 7% defense budget increase. This plan focuses on asymmetric capabilities like the indigenous T-Dome air defense system and domestic missile production. However, opposition parties KMT and TPP have proposed much smaller budgets, cutting key programs and causing legislative gridlock. This deadlock risks delaying critical arms deliveries and indigenous system production, raising concerns from Taiwan's Defense Minister and the U.S., which strongly supports the full budget to maintain regional stability. Public resistance and global arms industry bottlenecks further complicate Taiwan's defense modernization efforts.