Taiwan proposes record US$35b defence budget for 2027 as PLA’s pressure grows

Taiwan has unveiled a record NT$1.12 trillion (US$35 billion) defence budget for 2027, with sharp increases in spending on weapons, ammunition and military operations amid growing pressure from Beijing. The proposed spending – the first to cross the NT$1 trillion threshold – is NT$173 billion, or 18.2 per cent, higher than this year’s allocation, according to the government budget approved by the cabinet on Thursday. It accounts for about 28.6 per cent of the government’s proposed NT$3.93...