“We are determined to enhance our self-defense capabilities and strengthen cooperation with our democratic partners to ensure peace and prosperity,” Lai said in a speech on Wednesday as he announced the budget. The president did not mention China, which considers the self-ruled, democratic island a wayward province, and has never ruled out the use of force against it.
Military spending is the fourth-largest itemized category in the budget, behind social welfare, education, science and culture and expenses related to economic development. The prioritization was unchanged from last year.
