Reuter News
11 January 2018
- RSIS
- Media Mentions
- Taiwan Plans to Invest in Advanced Arms as China Flexes Its Muscles
Taiwan Plans to Invest in Advanced Arms as China Flexes Its Muscles
Taiwan’s ruling party plans to use a long-term increase in defense spending to pursue advanced weapons systems, government officials say, in what is widely seen as growing determination to forge a stronger deterrent against a Chinese attack.
Analysts have said Taiwan would need to improve both asymmetric warfare and high-end capabilities like aircraft and missile defense after years of budgetary neglect.
Asymmetric warfare means using limited resources to inflict unacceptable damage to a more powerful opponent. Taiwan is betting it can make an attack on it too painful for China to consider, according to Collin Koh, a research fellow at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.
“The Taiwanese may not be able to overturn the balance of power now, but they can improve their abilities to raise the costs on China,” he said.
IDSS / Online
Last updated on 23/01/2018
