Taiwan Floats Record Defense Budget, Sending Message to U.S. and China

Taiwan has proposed its highest-ever defense budget as part of a broader plan for 2027, unveiling a $123 billion budget on Thursday that includes 1.1225 trillion New Taiwan dollars for defense—about $35.2 billion. The government said the spending level is intended to send messages to both the United States and China, positioning Taiwan to strengthen its military capabilities amid ongoing regional tensions. The proposal marks a major step in Taiwan’s long-term defense financing, and it comes as Taipei continues to pursue upgrades and preparedness measures. Details beyond the headline numbers were not provided in the report.