Taiwan lawmakers approve $24.9 billion defense spending bill
After months of political wrangling, Taiwan's opposition-controlled parliament approved a capped NT$780 billion ($24.9 billion) special defense budget strictly for purchasing U.S. weapons, including HIMARS and Patriot missiles, while stripping funding for domestic drone production lines.
Date: May 9, 2026
Location: Taipei, Taiwan
Conflict: China-Taiwan Conflict
Category: diplomacy
Severity: MEDIUM
Source: Focus Taiwan