Taiwan president says he will propose extra $40 billion in defence spending

Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te delivers a speech during National Day celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, October 10, 2025. REUTERS/Ann Wang

TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan will introduce a $40 billion supplementary defence budget to underscore its determination to defend itself, President Lai Ching-te said in a Washington Post op-ed essay.

"This landmark package will not only fund significant new arms acquisitions from the United States, but also vastly enhance Taiwan's asymmetrical capabilities," he wrote in the piece, which was published on Tuesday U.S. time.