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Lai vows to lift defense spending to 3%

Saturday, 15 February 2025 05:23 Taipei Times

The government aims to increase defense spending to at least 3 percent of GDP this year, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, hours after US President Donald Trump again threatened tariffs on Taiwanese semiconductors.

At a news conference in Taipei following his first high-level national security meeting this year, Lai said the government would propose a special budget this year to increase the nation’s defense spending to more than 3 percent of GDP.

“Taiwan must firmly safeguard its national sovereignty, strengthen its resolve for self-defense and bolster its defense capabilities,” he said.

Philippines and New Zealand in talks for defense pact

Thursday, 30 January 2025 05:29 Taipei Times

The Philippines and New Zealand have begun negotiating an agreement that would allow them to deploy troops on each other’s soil, the two countries said yesterday, as concerns over maritime tensions with China grow.

Manila has been seeking to boost defense ties in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond in the face of China’s growing confidence in asserting its claims over the hot spot South China Sea.

A first round of talks was held in Manila on Thursday last week between the Philippines and New Zealand’s defense departments, they said in a joint statement.

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228 Tâi-uân-sîn

We're 228 Followers

2015-12-26 Taiwanese Shrine Initation & Marytr-Spirit Enshrine Ceremony

2014-02-28 228 Tâi-uân-sîn(Taiwan gods) Thanksgiving Blessing Assembly and Trong R. Chai Tâi-uân-sîn Thanksgiving Praying Ceremony

2013-08-18 Holy Mountain Holiness Birthday and Tâi-uân-sîn Lin Mao-sheng Statue's Placement Ceremony

2013-02-28 228 Tâi-uân-sîn Thanksgiving Prayer Assembly - Realized the Determination of Founding Taiwan State with Democratic Power

228 Memorial and Bian Casters Gathering on Feb. 28th, 2010

Newsflash

While President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) are of the opinion that the legislature can only either ratify or reject the newly signed cross-strait Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) in its entirety and not amend it article by article, Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) begged to differ yesterday, saying there have been cases in which the legislature has made revisions to international agreements signed by the government.

Citing examples, Wang said lawmakers had screened article by article the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as the free-trade agreements (FTA) Taiwan has signed with its Central American allies.