US Diplomat Urges Taiwan Parliament to Pass $40 Billion Defense Budget
Raymond Greene, the top U.S. diplomat in Taipei, pressed Taiwan's opposition-majority parliament on April 27 to approve a 'comprehensive' $40 billion supplemental defense budget. The funding is intended for integrated air and missile defense systems, as well as thousands of drones, to deter a potential Chinese invasion. Defense Minister Wellington Koo highlighted the urgency of the move, noting recent Chinese warship sightings southwest of the Penghu islands in the Taiwan Strait.