Taiwan’s leader says increasing defence spending to ‘deter war’

President Lai Ching-te’s government has earmarked a record NT$1.1 trillion ($34.5 billion) in defence spending for 2027, which accounts for more than 3% of GDP.Taiwan aims to “deter war” by increasing its defence spending, the democratic island’s leader said on Saturday (October 10, 2026), as China uses military pressure to assert its territorial claims.