Taiwan's arms plan to exceed 3% of GDP

Taiwan's defence spending next year will exceed 3% of gross domestic product to demonstrate to the world the government's determination to fulfil its shared responsibility for security, Premier Cho Jung-tai said on Thursday.

- Reuters

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

But Taiwan also faces calls from Washington to spend more on its own defence, mirroring pressure from the United States on Europe. This month, President Lai Ching-te said he wanted to boost defence spending to more than 3% of GDP next year.