Ely Ratner, a former U.S. assistant defense secretary, says raising Taiwan's defense spending to 5% of GDP is a reasonable target to strengthen national resilience. He emphasized that developing a local defense industrial base and improving training are just as critical as the budget increase. President Lai Ching-te has vowed to raise defense spending to 3% by next year and 5% by the end of the decade amid threats from China.
00:00A former top Pentagon official has voiced support for the goal of raising Taiwan's defense spending to 5% of GDP.
00:08Increasing those numbers up to 5% is really important and will be a really major step in terms of strengthening Taiwan's defense and resilience.
00:18So I think that's an appropriate target over the next several years.
00:22Eli Ratner served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Affairs under the Biden administration.
00:30He says developing a defense industrial base in Taiwan, as well as further military training and planning, are just as important as expanding the budget.
00:38Taiwan President Lai Qingde has said that Taiwan will aim to spend 3% of GDP on defense next year and 5% by the end of the decade.
00:46Other U.S. officials have suggested Taiwan's military spending should be as high as 10% of GDP as it continues to face threats of invasion from China.
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