Taiwan plans to boost military expenditure by 22.9% to $31.27bn in 2026, bringing it to 3.32% of GDP, after calls by the Trump administration to spend more on its own defense.
The latest figures are for the first time based on the NATO expenditure model, to include the Coast Guard and Veterans Affairs. An official said “They are standing on the frontline” and would, in the event of a conflict, be used by the Navy to defend the country. Chinese tactics include regular coast guard patrols near Taiwanese islands.
China considers democratically-governed Taiwan to be a renegade province, part of its own territory and has been ramping up the pressure, politically and militarily, in recent years, threatening to seize the island by force. China announced in March 2025 that it would increase military spending by 7.2% to $248.17 billion.
