Taipei: Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen announced in an opinion piece in the Washington Post that Taiwan plans to propose a $40 billion (1.29 trillion baht) increase in its defense budget. This move is aimed at underscoring the nation’s commitment to self-defense, with significant new weapon purchases from the United States being a central component of the proposal.

According to Thai News Agency, President Lai indicated that the historic special budget would not only facilitate large-scale arms acquisitions from the United States but also address Taiwan’s current imbalance of military capabilities. The initiative is designed to enhance deterrence by increasing the cost to Beijing and influencing its decision-making concerning the use of military force.

President Lai had previously discussed plans for additional defense spending but had not provided specifics until now. President Tsai reaffirmed his dedication to pursuing dialogue with China, despite China’s consistent rejection of his outreach attempts, labeling him a “separatist.” He emphasized that while Taiwan will continue to seek cross-strait dialogue opportunities, the nation’s democracy and freedoms remain non-negotiable and firmly grounded in reality.

This development occurs in the context of increased military and political pressure from China, which views democratic Taiwan as its territory-an assertion that Taipei vehemently denies. Taiwan has also faced calls from Washington for heightened defense spending, echoing US pressure on European nations.

In August, President Lai expressed hopes that defense spending would reach 5 percent of Taiwan’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030. For 2026, the government has proposed defense spending of up to NT$949.5 billion (approximately US$30.25 billion or about 976 billion baht). According to government figures, this would constitute 3.32 percent of GDP, surpassing the 3 percent threshold for the first time since 2009.

The United States, despite lacking formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, is legally obligated to provide the island with the means to defend itself. However, since President Donald Trump assumed a second term earlier this year, his administration has approved only one new arms sale to Taiwan: a $330 million package of fighter jet and other aircraft parts announced earlier this month.