Currently, Taiwan has set an increase in its defense budget to 3.3% of its GDP for 2026, allocating $949.5 billion Taiwan dollars ($31.18 billion). U.S. President Donald Trump has demanded Taiwan raise its defense spending to as much as 10% of GDP, a proportion well above what the U.S. or any of its major allies spend.

Lai had previewed the announcement in an op-ed for The Washington Post on Wednesday, saying the special budget would be used to purchase arms from the U.S. He told reporters Wednesday, however, that the budget has nothing to do with the government’s tariff negotiations with the U.S.

  • RiverRock@lemmy.ml
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    7 hours ago

    They are not thinking of those places, but it is kind of helpful of you to point out other countries where the US empire has repeated the same strategy

    • kindred@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      6 hours ago

      US empire and wealthy capitalists aren’t the same thing, although their interests sometimes align.

      All the billionaires in Taiwan are Taiwanese.

      Wealthy capitalists, if they’re not based in the US, have moved to those places, not to Taiwan.