Taipei Set to Boost Military Spending, Cites Threats From China, North Korea
SputnikNews.com
03.03.2018
Taiwan’s Prime Minister Lai Ching-te named North Korea’s nuclear program and China’s military exercises in the South China Sea as among the main threats to stability in the Asia-Pacific region.
Taiwan intends to increase its military budget in order to have more opportunities to ensure peace and stability in the region alongside neighboring countries, Taiwan’s Prime Minister Lai Ching-te said at the East Asia Peace Forum in Taipei on Saturday.
The Prime Minister, however, did not specify the prospective amount.
The increase in spending will take place amid challenges East Asia is currently facing, among which are Pyongyang’s nuclear activity as well as China’s military drills in the region, according to Lai Ching-te.
According to the minister, Taipei also intends to make all necessary efforts to fully support the sanctions against North Korea implemented by the UN Security Council.
Lai Ching-te’s statement echoes the suggestions President Tsai Ing-wen made last year, when she too spoke about the increase in military spending. She noted that the military expenses of Taiwan would increase by 2 percent every year, adding that “it is necessary to be more prepared in the face of the growing threat in the field of cybersecurity and espionage.” In October 2017, the administration of Taiwan submitted its proposed military budget for 2018, amounting to 10.7 billion dollars.
Tensions between Taiwan and China have been running high recently over a bill that has moved to the US Senate after being approved by the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. The legislation will encourage contacts between officials in the US and Taiwan, which Beijing considers to be a breakaway province.
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