Overview
- President William Lai said the special budget would fund advanced air-defense and missile interception under a multi-year program.
- Defense Minister Wellington Koo described the $40 billion as a ceiling for 2026–2033, prioritizing precision missiles and joint U.S.–Taiwan procurement.
- Lai warned that China is accelerating preparations to seize the island by force and set a target for elevated combat readiness by 2027.
- Taiwan’s military reported 20 Chinese aircraft and five naval vessels in the past 24 hours, with 319 aircraft and 156 ships tracked since early November.
- Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, said a Chinese invasion could be an existential threat for Tokyo and may prompt a military response, drawing retaliatory steps from Beijing.