Taiwan sounds alarm as China ramps up defence spending

Taiwanese Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng says “other side is preparing for the use of force if necessary in the future”, but Beijing dismisses warning saying Taiwan is part of China.

Taiwan’s defence minister has warned that a sharp increase in Chinese military spending for 2023 indicated Beijing was “preparing for the use of force if necessary” to potentially retake the self-ruled island.

Speaking to lawmakers, Taiwanese Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng on Monday said: “It seems the other side is preparing for the use of force if necessary in the future.”

China said on Sunday it was increasing military spending by 7.2 percent — the fastest pace in four years — to 1.55 trillion yuan ($225 billion), at a key meeting of its rubber-stamp parliament.

Taiwan lives under constant threat of an invasion by China, which views the democratically ruled island as part of its territory to be seized one day, by force if necessary.

Beijing has ramped up the pressure in the last year, staging huge military drills around Taiwan in August after then US House speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island.

On Monday, Chiu said future high-level visits by foreign dignitaries could be a catalyst for invasion.

“I think they are waiting for a good reason to send troops, such as high-level visits from other countries to Taiwan or too-frequent activities between our military and other countries,” he said.

The minister said Taiwan was “making advance preparations” for incursions deeper into waters around the island than have been the norm in recent years.