Defense budget proposal sending US signals: expert

Taiwan’s proposed defense budget for next year sends a signal that should resonate with the White House, which has urged allies and partners to increase defense spending, a US academic said Friday.The Cabinet on Thursday approved the central government budget proposal for next year, which would allocate NT$1.1225 trillion (US$35.2 billion) for defense, equivalent to 3.01 percent of GDP.Michael Hunzeker, an associate professor at George Mason University who studies Taiwanese defense issues, said the proposed budget was a “very positive development” that showed that President William Lai (賴清德) remained committed to keeping defense spending above 3 percent of GDP and on track to reach 5 percent by 2030. A Republic of China flag flutters near a land-based TC-2 surface-to-air missile launch veh