TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's high defense budget for 2024 proves it is serious about its national defense, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said in a press conference on Thursday (Aug. 24).

DPP caucus secretary-general Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄) said that a responsible government can not simply mention reduced cross-strait tensions and goodwill, but it must demonstrate a commitment to defense through practical actions and budget allocation. Chuang also compared Taiwan’s defense budget to other countries.

The defense budget as a percentage of GDP for Poland is 4%, while Lithuania's is 2.52%, Chuang said. South Korea’s budget is expected to increase to 4% within 10 years from the current 2.7%, he added.

The Cabinet on Thursday approved an overall defense budget of NT$606.8 billion (US$19.1 billion), accounting for 2.5% of the nation’s GDP—an all-time high, CNA reported. The budget will be reviewed and voted on by the Legislative Yuan.