Taiwan’s Lai Vows Extra $40 Billion for Defense Against China

Taiwan plans to spend an extra $40 billion on its defenses, President Lai Ching-te said in a commentary in the Washington Post, a long-telegraphed move he described as necessary to deter China from using force against the democracy.

The expenditure will be part of a supplementary budget the government will introduce to “not only fund significant new arms acquisitions from the United States, but also vastly enhance Taiwan’s asymmetrical capabilities,” Lai wrote on Tuesday.