Overview
- President Lai proposed a special NT$1.25 trillion (about US$40 billion) defense budget for 2026–2033 to accelerate precision missiles, asymmetric systems, and joint programs with the United States.
- Funds would develop the layered air-defense “T‑Dome,” described as an advanced detection and interception network for island-wide protection.
- The package is designed to lift defense spending to roughly 3.3% of GDP in 2026, with a stated goal of reaching 5% by 2030.
- The American Institute in Taiwan’s director, Raymond Greene, publicly welcomed the plan and urged rapid acquisition of critical asymmetric capabilities, following a recent U.S. sale of about US$330 million.
- Beijing condemned the proposal as driven by “external forces,” while Taiwan’s Kuomintang leader Cheng Li‑wun questioned debt limits and feasibility, leaving approval uncertain.