A Republican U.S. Senator traveled to Taiwan this week with a clear message for the island’s government: approve the massive defense spending package that’s been stuck in legislative limbo.
Senator Jim Banks, who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, met with Taiwan President Lai Ching-te on Wednesday in Taipei, where he pressed for action on a $40 billion military spending proposal that has faced opposition in Taiwan’s parliament.
The defense budget was introduced by President Lai last year as Taiwan seeks to strengthen its military capabilities amid ongoing tensions with China, which considers the democratic island part of its territory.
During their meeting, Banks praised Lai’s approach to military spending, comparing it to President Donald Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget for the United States.
“But your Legislative Yuan has to do its part and pass the special budget, and that’s one message that I want to send to your leadership,” Banks stated, referring to Taiwan’s parliament by its official name.
The Indiana senator emphasized the broader implications of Taiwan’s decision, telling Lai: “When you pass the special budget in the legislature, that is a signal to China, and to the rest of the world, that Taiwan is serious about peace through strength. I appreciate President Lai’s leadership in making that happen.”
The spending proposal remains gridlocked in Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan, where opposition parties hold a majority and continue debating the government’s plan alongside alternative, lower-cost proposals.
Banks wasn’t the first American lawmaker to deliver this message recently. Another delegation of U.S. representatives visited Taipei last week with similar appeals for the defense budget’s passage.
The political dynamics surrounding the issue are complex. Cheng Li-wun, who leads Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), is currently visiting mainland China and may meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The KMT has stated it supports military spending but won’t approve what it calls blank checks, arguing that diplomatic dialogue with Beijing is equally crucial.
Relations between Taiwan and China remain tense under President Lai’s leadership. Beijing refuses diplomatic contact with Lai, labeling him a separatist. Lai has rejected China’s claims over Taiwan, maintaining that only the Taiwanese people should determine their island’s future.
Senator Banks was among 37 lawmakers from both parties who wrote to Taiwanese political leaders in February, expressing concerns about the delayed defense spending legislation.
