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.
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.
Genuinely, without snark, check out the term comprador
I don’t get the point you’re trying to make.
I said the wealthy capitalists went to not!Taiwan because the billionaires in Taiwan were already there.
Who is or is not a comprador has nothing to do with where wealthy capitalists relocate.