Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te said military spending is expected to reach 5% of GDP by 2030, underscoring his government’s commitment to self-defense to protect the island from China.

Taiwan's government aims to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2030, President Lai Ching-te said on Friday (August 22, 2025), as the United States pushes Taipei to invest more in its own security.

TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Friday he hoped defence spending would reach 5% of gross domestic product before 2030, upping a target of bolstering the island's military budget that Washington has pushed for.