Taipei: The United States’ top envoy to Taiwan on Wednesday highlighted President Lai Ching-te’s proposed US$40 billion special defense budget as “a major step towards maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait by strengthening deterrence.”
According to Focus Taiwan, Lai first introduced the special budget proposal in a Washington Post op-ed, followed by reiteration at a news conference in Taipei earlier on Wednesday. In a statement shared on the American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) Facebook page, AIT Director Raymond Greene emphasized that Taiwan is joining global partners from Europe to Japan and Korea in making vital defense investments essential to deter challenges to global peace and prosperity.
Director Greene reaffirmed Washington’s support for Taipei’s swift acquisition of critical asymmetric capabilities to strengthen deterrence, aligning with the Taiwan Relations Act and the long-standing U.S. commitment across multiple administrations. He also appealed to Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan, urging opposition parties to find common ground similar to the bipartisan support Taiwan enjoys in the U.S.
Greene articulated that enhancing Taiwan’s defense capabilities is crucial, whether the priority is preserving Taiwan’s democracy, fostering cross-Strait dialogue conditions, or maintaining international community support. He stressed the global importance of ensuring peaceful resolution of differences across the Taiwan Strait, free from coercion.
The proposal comes after repeated calls from U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration for global partners, including Taiwan, to increase defense spending.
