WASHINGTON – Taiwan is being urged to significantly boost its defense spending to approximately 10% of its gross domestic product to deter potential conflict with China, as stated by Elbridge Colby, President Donald Trump’s nominee for the position of under secretary of defense for policy. Colby criticized Taiwan for currently allocating a defense budget that falls well below 3% of its GDP and emphasized the need for a substantial increase to enhance their focus on defense. He made these remarks during his Senate confirmation hearing, highlighting the importance of properly incentivizing Taiwan given the escalating tensions between the United States and China.
The ongoing trade war between the two global economic giants has escalated further, with China responding to the hefty tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. Simultaneously, both countries are vying for military influence in the Asia-Pacific region. China has been intensifying its military presence to reinforce its territorial claims over Taiwan, a democratic, self-governing island that plays a crucial role in chip manufacturing for the global economy. Despite the absence of formal diplomatic relations between Washington and Taipei, the United States remains a key ally of Taiwan, providing essential support and arms.
Colby underscored the imperative national security interests that the United States holds in Taiwan, emphasizing the catastrophic consequences that would result from Taiwan falling under Chinese control. He expressed deep concerns over the deteriorating military balance of power in favor of China and outlined his commitment to prioritizing efforts to address this imbalance if confirmed as under secretary of defense for policy. Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has proposed increasing defense spending to 3% of GDP, albeit facing potential budget cuts that could impact defense allocations, a development that has raised apprehensions in Washington.
Despite the budgetary challenges, Taiwan is actively considering purchasing significant arms supplies from the United States in a bid to bolster its defenses and garner support from the Trump administration amid China’s escalating military pressure on the island. The importance of Taiwan’s defense readiness and the critical role it plays in regional security dynamics underscore the urgency of addressing these issues to ensure stability and deter any threat of conflict.
(Credit: Reporting by Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, and Michael Martina; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
