Taiwan President Announces Plan to Raise Defence Spending to 5% of GDP by 2030
President Lai Ching‑te outlined a series of measures to increase Taiwan's defence budget, modernise its armed forces and call on China to renounce force amid heightened pressure.
Taiwan President Lai Ching‑te said he wants to increase defence spending to 5 % of GDP by 2030, up from around 3 % currently, and added that he will not give up on defence spending after Parliament cuts, according to *The Hindu*.
Lai also called on China to renounce the use of force to seize Taiwan and said a special budget for military spending will be proposed at the end of this year, reported by *The Hindu* and *Economic Times* respectively.
On 21 March 2025, Lai visited Songshan airbase in Taipei, *Economic Times* reported.
Taiwan is ramping up defence spending and modernising its armed forces, *Economic Times* reported.
The island has faced increased military and political pressure from China, which views Taiwan as its own territory and is adding advanced new weapons and a huge array of missiles, *Economic Times* reported.
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