Reuters
Date: 10/31/17
By: Reuters

Taiwan will increase future defense spending by two percent each year, President Tsai Ing-wen said during a visit to Hawaii where the U.S. expressed concern over a possible military imbalance in the Taiwan Straits, Taiwanese media reported.

In the event that Taiwan purchases arms from a foreign military, the island’s defense spending could increase as much as three percent each year, and could possibly increase further using a special budget if “significant purchase cases” are made, Tsai said in remarks carried by official media on Monday.

Tsai made the comments in response to U.S. concerns about a possible military imbalance in the Taiwan Strait expressed by Ambassador James Moriarty during a meeting. Tsai did not elaborate on when the increased defense spending would start.
[FULL  STORY]