Defense spending, be it part of a regular or special budget, is important, as it shows that the nation is willing to defend itself and fufill its responsibility to regional stability, he said. Vice Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien speaks at an event in an undated photograph. Lawmakers from across the political divide should support adding the defense budget to the agenda of the Procedure Committee, he said, adding that the ministry is open to discussion and oversight regarding the bill. It described a Chinese military that is increasingly sophisticated and resilient, wary of large-scale agreements with the US and learning lessons from Russia’s setbacks in Ukraine as it increases pressure on Taiwan. It describes the goals as achieving “strategic decisive victory” over Taiwan, “strategic counterbalance” against the US, and “strategic deterrence and control” against other regional countries.

Source: Taipei Times December 24, 2025 16:11 UTC