Taiwan is increasing its defence budget in the backdrop of the rising tensions with China. The self-ruled island nation is increasing the defence spending by 13.9 percent next year, a Cabinet proposal showed.
The total expenditure involving national defence in 2023 will amount to 586.3 billion Taiwan dollars (TWD) ($19.4 billion), IANS reported, citing DPA news agency. It includes 108.3 billion TWD for the purchase of advanced fighter jets, among other things.
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The Chinese military held large-scale manoeuvres around Taiwan earlier this month in response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to the island on August 2.
Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence said on Thursday that the country had in recent years faced an expansion of military activities by China involving aircraft and warships.
The Ministry has vowed to strengthen Taiwan's capability to conduct asymmetric warfare to deter the People's Liberation Army (PLA).
China in 2021 significantly increased the frequency of warplane sorties entering Taiwan's Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ).
Taiwan has had an independent government since 1949, but China considers the democratic island part of its territory and opposes any form of official contacts between Taipei and others.
