Asia & Pacific

Taiwan President Announces $40 Billion in New Defense Spending to Counter China

The top U.S. envoy in Taiwan has welcomed Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s announcement, saying the entire world ‘has a stake’ in ensuring peace in the region.
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Taiwan President Announces $40 Billion in New Defense Spending to Counter China
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te holds a press conference on "Action Plan for Safeguarding Democratic Taiwan and National Security" at the Presidential Office Building in Taipei on Nov. 26, 2025. I-Hwa Cheng/AFP via Getty Images
Frank Fang
Frank Fang
Reporter
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TAIPEI, Taiwan—China is “accelerating” its military preparations to achieve its goal of forcibly seizing Taiwan by 2027, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te warned on Nov. 26, while announcing a special defense budget of $40 billion to confront the Chinese military threats.

Speaking at a press conference in the presidential office, Lai said the budget would be allocated over an eight-year period, from 2026 to 2033, for projects including the construction of a “Taiwan Dome,” an air defense system featuring high-level detection and effective interception capabilities.
Frank Fang
Frank Fang
Reporter
Frank Fang is a Taiwan-based reporter. He covers U.S., China, and Taiwan news. He holds a master's degree in materials science from Tsinghua University in Taiwan.
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