00:00Taiwan's three main political parties agreed to allow the government to sign agreements with the U.S.
00:06for four major arms sales packages worth $11.5 billion.
00:11The dispute over defense spending raises concerns in the U.S.,
00:15which remains Taiwan's most important security partner and arms supplier,
00:18despite the absence of formal diplomatic relations.
00:23Earlier, U.S. officials warned that Taiwan could lose its place in their production and delivery queue
00:29if the agreements were not signed before the deadline.
00:32Taiwan President Lai Ching-te's government has asked parliament to approve
00:36an additional $40 billion in defense spending to strengthen the island's military capabilities.
00:43However, the opposition parties, which hold the largest number of seats in parliament,
00:48argued that the government's defense proposals do not provide enough detail.
00:53Despite the disagreement, lawmakers from both sides agreed that the government
00:57could sign the arms deals first while parliamentary reviews continue.
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