WARFARE CAPABILITY: The nation is to spend NT$73.6 billion, or 21.3 percent, of its defense budget on the development of indigenous weapons, the president said

Taipei Times
Date: Aug 07, 2018
By: Lo Tien-pin and Jonathan Chin  /  Staff reporter, with staff writer and CNA

Taiwan will spend more than one-fifth of its defense budget next year on the

development of indigenous weapons, in line with the government’s policy of strengthening national security, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said yesterday.

In the government’s proposals for next year’s national budget, defense spending is to increase by NT$18.3 billion (US$597.5 million) from the previous year to NT$346 billion, which represents 2.16 percent of the nation’s GDP, Tsai said.

Of the total defense budget, NT$73.6 billion, or 21.3 percent, is to be spent on developing indigenous defense systems, an increase of NT$25 billion, as part of the effort to broaden the nation’s warfare capability, she said.

The proposals also include NT$95.1 billion for military investment, an increase of NT$13.9 billion from the previous year, Tsai said during the unveiling of a plaque at Navy Command Headquarters.   [FULL  STORY]