Amid tensions with China, Taiwan defence budget to go up by 13.9%

Amid rising tensions with China, Taiwan's defence budget is set to go up by 13.9 per cent next year, according to a proposal announced by the Cabinet on Thursday.

According to the proposal, the total expenditure involving national defence in 2023 will amount to 586.3 billion Taiwan dollars (TWD) ($19.4 billion), reports dpa news agency.

It includes 108.3 billion TWD for the purchase of advanced fighter jets, among other things.

The Chinese military held large-scale manoeuvres around Taiwan earlier this month in response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to the island on August 2.

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence said on Thursday that the country had in recent years faced an expansion of military activities by China involving aircraft and warships.

The Ministry has vowed to strengthen Taiwan's capability to conduct asymmetric warfare to deter the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

China in 2021 significantly increased the frequency of warplane sorties entering Taiwan's Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ).

Taiwan has had an independent government since 1949, but China considers the democratic island part of its territory and opposes any form of official contacts between Taipei and others.

--IANS

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