Taiwan Prepares Additional Defense Budget Of IDR 45.1 Trillion Next Year, Half To Buy Fighter Jets

President Tsai Ing-wen while reviewing Taiwanese military exercises. (Wikimedia Commons/)

JAKARTA - Taiwan will issue an additional 94.3 billion Taiwan dollars (Rp45,197,840,242,170) to buy weapons next year, including fighter jets to increase its defenses in anticipation of China's threats.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen on Monday announced that the government as a whole proposed a 2024 defense spending of USD 606.8 billion, up 3.5 percent from the previous year.

About half of Taiwan's $ 94.3 billion additional spending will be used to buy fighter jets, the rest will be used to strengthen naval defenses, the government's statistical body said after a cabinet meeting to discuss budgets.

Yesterday, the United States approved the possible sale of an infrared search and tracking system for F-16 fighter jets, as well as other equipment worth $500 million to Taiwan.

Taiwan's Deputy Defense Minister Po Horng-huei told reporters the search and tracking systems were the same as those used by the F-35 and F-22 fighters, which are one of the most advanced fighter aircraft operated by the United States.

"This will help target J-20 stealth fighters in the Taiwan Strait in the future," Po said, referring to China's new generation of jets.

"This will allow Taiwan to be more effective in blocking Chinese air activity," he added.

It is known that Taiwan's defense budget must be approved by parliament, where President Tsai's Democratic Progressive Party has the majority. The island's defense spending for next year will amount to 2.5 percent of gross domestic product.

China, which routinely condemns foreign arms sales to Taiwan, urged the United States to immediately cancel its new sales plan, its foreign ministry said.

President Tsai himself has overseen the military modernization program to make the armed forces more capable of facing China, including increasing the fleet of F-16 fighter jets and developing submarines.

On Monday he said the prototype of the first domestically made submarine is expected to be launched next month on schedule.

Taiwan has so far converted 141 F-16A/B jets into F-16V type and has ordered 66 new F-16Vs, which have advanced avionic systems, weapons, and radar to deal better with the Chinese air force, including its J-20 stealth aircraft.