Taiwan tensions'No time to lose': Lai urges broad Taiwan defense and resilience buildup
Repeats vow to raise spending after report Trump stopped $400m in military aid
Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te speaks at a conference titled "Resilient Taiwan for Sustainable Democracy" on Sept. 20 in Taipei. (Taiwan’s Presidential Office)
THOMPSON CHAU
September 20, 2025 15:41 JST
TAIPEI -- Taiwan must accelerate preparations to strengthen the population's resilience against threats from China, President Lai Ching-te warned at a high-profile security conference in Taipei on Saturday, pledging to spend the equivalent of 3.32% of the island's gross domestic product on defense next year.