Taiwan defence spending to outpace growth

Taiwan’s cabinet said following a regular weekly meeting that 2025 defence spending would rise 7.7% year-on-year to T$647bil or about US$20.25bil, accounting for 2.45% of gross domestic product. — Reuters

TAIPEI: Taiwan’s defence spending will rise 7.7% next year, outpacing expected economic growth, the cabinet says, as the island adds more fighter jets and missiles to strengthen deterrence against a rising threat from Beijing.

China, which views democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory, has ramped up military and political pressure over the past five years to assert those claims, which Taipei strongly rejects.