TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan must pass its proposed defense spending package or risk sending the wrong signal to the international community, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said on Wednesday, per Reuters.
The warning comes as Taiwan’s opposition-controlled parliament continues to hold up the extra defense budget, prompting US concern. Washington is Taipei’s main security backer and arms supplier.
US Senator Roger Wicker, Chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Monday he was disappointed that opposition parties had cut Lai’s defense proposal, which is meant to fund urgently needed weapons systems.
Speaking at a DPP meeting, Lai said pushing an alternative plan would delay upgrades to Taiwan’s defense. Such delays, he said, risk sending the wrong message about Taiwan’s commitment to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
US Senator Dan Sullivan also criticized the KMT, Taiwan’s largest opposition party, whose senior figures are visiting Beijing. Cutting defense spending to appease China, he said on X, was “playing with fire.”
The opposition-led legislature has blocked Lai’s package, which includes missiles, drones and a new T-Dome air defence system. It instead has backed a narrower plan covering only selected US arms purchases.
The KMT said it supports stronger defenses but insists on full scrutiny of government spending and rejects what it calls blank checks. In a statement, it thanked US senators for their views and said it remains committed to Taiwan’s security and cross-strait peace.
