Article link:https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taiwan-proposes-extra-87-bln-defence-spending-over-5-years-2021-09-16/
Taiwan Proposed on Thursday september 16th that they plan to spend 8.69 billion dollars over the next five years on growing their military power in case of a severe threat from neighboring and bigger country China. Taiwan’s defense ministry stated that China’s military power has grown very quickly over a short period of time and the only way to protect themselves is to grow their Military very rapidly and pose a defense threat. Cabinet spokesman Lo Ping – Cheng said “Others will only help us if we help ourselves.” Taiwan plans to spend the money on cruise missiles and warships and has already started testing long range missiles that reportedly are able to hit targets well into China. They have also already put a new class or warships that they call the aircraft carrier killer.
By spending this money on strengthening their military, tensions could rise between China and Taiwan. Although China has a much stronger Military force than Taiwan, Taiwan has the United States backing them. It is important for Taiwan to grow their military force as much as they can to prove to the United States they are worth being backed. Just like spokesman Lo Ping-Cheng said “others will only help us if we help ourselves.” Unofficial representative of the United States for Taiwan said Taiwan needs to have an asymmetric capable military meaning they need to be able to be mobile, survive, and be lethal.
Taiwan is a non-recognized state. Although it might sound strange Taiwan is not recognized by its most important ally the United States due to the One China policy. The one China policy is where China insisted that that nations cannot have relations with both China and Taiwan. This is why Military tensions continue to rise between Taiwan and China. Taiwan wants to be recognized but because of the One China policy they cannot be unless countries cut ties with China like the United States.