Taiwan announces plans for record defence budget after China drills

SinoDaily.com reports: “Taiwan announced plans for a record increase to its defence budget on Thursday after huge military drills by China earlier this month sent tensions between the two to their highest in decades.

Taipei has proposed a defence budget of Tw$415.1 billion ($13.7 billion) for next year, up 13 percent year-on-year, pending parliamentary approval.

An additional special budget will also be created specifically to acquire new fighter jets and other projects to boost naval and air capabilities, the top budgeting agency said in a statement.

‘To protect national security, the overall defence budget for next year will reach Tw$586.3 billion to a record high,’ a cabinet spokesman quoted Premier Su Tseng-chang as saying.

Taiwan lives under constant threat of invasion by China, which claims the democratic island as part of its territory to be seized one day — by force if necessary…”

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