TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan must pass its stalled special defense budget to strengthen military ties with the US, analysts said Friday.
Speaking at a forum in Taipei, retired US Navy Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery said lawmakers should not scrap all arms sales items over disagreements on purchases, per CNA. Doing so would weaken interoperability and combat effectiveness between Taiwan and US forces, he argued.
Montgomery said US military cooperation operates across four levels: de-conflicted, coordinated, integrated, and unified, per Liberty Times. Taiwan and the US remain at the lowest “de-conflicted” level, far behind partners such as Japan and South Korea.
Montgomery also warned that Taiwan faces growing geopolitical pressure. He likened a potential meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to a “two-voter election,” saying Taiwan must act quickly to strengthen its position.
Hudson Institute Senior Fellow Michael Sobolik said US–Taiwan ties remain strong but military cooperation is still uncertain. He said Washington expects partners to invest in self-defense and develop credible asymmetric capabilities.
Sobolik added that Taiwan should boost resilience and domestic production of key weapons. He said strengthening these areas would reduce reliance on external partners during a crisis.
Hudson Institute Senior Fellow Jason Hsu (許毓仁) said Washington is watching whether Taiwan prioritizes defense. He warned that prolonged domestic divisions could become a strategic vulnerability.
