TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's defense establishment has mobilized quickly following President Donald Trump's (川普) imposition of a 32% tariff on Taiwanese imports to the United States. Minister of National Defence Wellington Koo (顧立雄) revealed on Tuesday (April 8) that the Ministry of National Defense (MND, 國防部) has already prepared a comprehensive military procurement list in response to the new economic pressure. The minister clarified that specific details of the planned acquisitions will remain confidential until the military completes necessary project procedures and secures formal budget approval through appropriate channels.
Minister Koo emphasized that the forthcoming military procurement strategy will prioritize four critical defense domains: building asymmetric key combat capabilities, enhancing operational resilience across defense systems, substantially boosting reserve forces readiness, and strengthening capabilities to counter gray zone harassment activities. In a separate statement, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) articulated a national security vision targeting military investment at 3% of GDP, a figure intended to comprehensively cover personnel maintenance, operational readiness, and strategic military investments. The president also indicated his administration's willingness to allocate supplementary funding should Taiwan face escalated security threats requiring additional resources.
On Sunday, President Lai Ching-te unveiled a strategic economic response to the tariff situation, announcing that Taiwan would significantly expand its purchases of American goods as part of an effort to address the trade imbalance cited by the Trump administration when imposing the 32% tariffs. The Taiwanese government has developed detailed procurement plans targeting substantial increases in imports of U.S. agricultural products, industrial equipment, petroleum resources, and natural gas supplies, representing a multifaceted approach to bilateral trade recalibration.
