The commander of the US Indo-Pacific forces emphasized on Tuesday the necessity for Taiwan to approve its delayed defense budget, noting that the United States “can’t desire Taiwan’s defense more than it does itself.”
“It’s not a matter of chicken or egg, because if you neglect the chicken, you’ll end up with neither,” Admiral Samuel Paparo stated during a Senate Committee on Armed Services hearing.
“Thus, it’s crucial for them to finance their own defense,” he remarked in response to questions about the ongoing budget discussions.
Last year, Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te suggested an additional $40 billion in defense expenditure to confront China, which claims the island as part of its territory.
The Taiwanese parliament, dominated by the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party, continues to deliberate on the government’s proposal alongside alternative, less costly options.
Under US law, Washington is required to furnish Taiwan with capabilities for its self-defense, and American senators have been working to assure Taiwan that another batch of arms sales, potentially reaching $14 billion, will be approved shortly.
In February, a bipartisan group of 37 US lawmakers reached out to senior officials in Taiwan to express concern about the delays in defense funding, while another delegation delivered a similar message during a later visit to Taipei.
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“We received private assurances from KMT leadership that a substantial defense package would ultimately be approved,” a Democratic congressional aide who recently visited Taiwan stated.
The KMT asserts its support for defense spending but refuses to endorse “blank checks,” emphasizing the importance of dialogue with Beijing as well.
In Taipei, lawmakers from the ruling party have expressed frustration toward the KMT for bypassing defense budget discussions, highlighting the visit of KMT leader Cheng Li-wun to China, where she advocated for peace, stating that birds, not missiles, should soar in the skies.
