TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The U.S. State Department endorsed Taiwan's pledge to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2030 Monday (Oct. 13), emphasizing Taiwan Strait stability. The support followed President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) announcement of the "Taiwan Shield" (台灣之盾) initiative during his National Day address, which outlined ambitious defense budget increases for the self-governing island.
Lai outlined comprehensive plans to increase defense spending to more than 3% of GDP by 2026 and 5% by 2030. The Ministry of National Defense (國防部), Taiwan's defense ministry, provided detailed specifications for the "Taiwan Shield" initiative, which involves acquiring advanced new air defense systems, integrating existing missile defenses, and strategically linking radar and high-efficiency sensing equipment for a sophisticated multilayered defense system.
The U.S. State Department reiterated its unwavering commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act (台灣關係法), a foundational 1979 U.S. law, ensuring Taiwan's self-defense capabilities adequately match escalating regional threats. During a critical Senate hearing on Monday (Oct. 7), John Noh, nominee for Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, specifically highlighted Taiwan's urgent need for comprehensive reforms in military training and mobilization capabilities.
Former President Donald Trump and incoming Deputy Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby have suggested Taiwan's defense spending should reach 10% of GDP, though most defense analysts consider this ambitious target economically unrealistic. Taiwan's representative to the United States, Alexander Yui (俞大㵢), emphasized in a recent Fox Business interview that threats to Taiwan extend far beyond conventional military aggression, requiring comprehensive strengthened social resistance alongside traditional national defense capabilities. ◼
