Taiwanese lawmakers spar over 12-fold budget rise for US joint defence programme

Taiwanese lawmakers are debating a significant proposed budget increase for a joint defense planning program with the United States. The funding for the Joint Force Design (JFD) program, also known as the Taiwan-US Defence Department Cooperative Assessment Project, is slated for a twelve-fold rise next year. This program serves as a bilateral mechanism to evaluate Taiwan's military needs, operational strategies, and capability deficiencies. The findings generated by the JFD are crucial for shaping Taiwan's force planning, military exercises, weapons acquisition priorities, and the allocation of US security assistance. The proposed budget hike has sparked considerable discussion within Taiwan's legislature.