Pentagon Presses Taiwan to Approve NT$1.25 Trillion Defense Budget

Overview

• Senior Pentagon and Indo-Pacific Command leaders used public hearings to urge Taiwan’s parties to pass the NT$1.25 trillion special defense budget, following a bipartisan Senate letter that pressed for faster procurement.
• The plan would run eight years and far exceeds opposition proposals of NT$380–400 billion, which would not cover future purchases or Taiwan’s planned drone programs.
• Assistant Secretary John Noh said the U.S. can aid Taiwan through Foreign Military Sales, the Taiwan Defense Act, and the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative, with FMS serving as the main U.S. arms-sale channel.
• Admiral Samuel Paparo said U.S. backing hinges on Taiwan showing resolve to defend itself and warned that Washington cannot want Taiwan’s defense more than Taipei does.
• Paparo said delays in delivering F-16s to Taiwan are being fixed by the State Department and stressed that on-time arms deliveries are crucial as China rehearses options like a blockade or seizing outlying islands.