US expects Taiwan to increase defense spending
The Trump administration is expected to be very tough with Taiwan as it mounts pressure on the country to increase defense spending. Elbridge Colby, Trump’s under secretary of defense for policy, has even recently said it should be 10% of Taiwan’s GDP. This contrasts with President Lai Ching-te’s recent promise to push it to just over 3%. However, in good news for Taiwan, a former American de facto ambassador says the 10% of GDP figure is not realistic, and another former US defense official says while there were American worries in the past that Taiwan was too complacent about its defense spending, he’s noted the DPP government is now getting serious. Let’s hear what everyone had to say.
In response to expected US pressure to spend more on defense, the government is preparing to increase military procurements that will raise this year’s defense budget to over 3% of GDP. Although this is lower than the 10% expected by US Pentagon officials, former AIT Director William Brent Christensen bluntly said not to put too much weight on the numbers.
William Brent Christensen
Former AIT Director
I don’t think we need to get too fixated on what percentage of GDP is being spent on this. They’ll never get 10%. That’s not realistic. Taiwan’s spending on defense probably does not include expenses that are being devoted to civil defense, the whole resilience program, it is pretty much is part of the overall defense strategy that Taiwan’s founding.
A former American defense official also admitted that the U.S. had doubts about Taiwan’s attitude to its self-defense in the past, but these doubts were gradually dissipating.
Derek James Mitchell
Former US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
I think there are folks here in the United States over the years who have been concerned that Taiwan has not been serious enough about its defense. There’s been complacency: Well, the Americans will take care of it or the Americans will come to our defense on the one hand, or it’s just not going to happen. I think the DPP is serious. I think they’re now getting serious.
Derek James Mitchell, a former American defense official, believes that the US must speed up delivery of American weaponry that’s already been ordered. Local experts echo his views.
Su Tzu-yun
Institute for National Defense and Security Research
Combat systems including air defense missiles, anti-ship missiles, and even drones will constitute the main investments, because they are low-priced, highly efficient, and are particularly suitable for defensive operations. If the direction of investment in our military build up can be even more in accordance with this, then Taiwan will have sufficient power to stop a PRC invasion.
Taiwan’s army is adopting a multi-pronged approach to strengthen its combat capabilities in response to increasingly severe cross-strait tensions.
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2025-04-11
