Saber-rattling by China is prompting Japan to increase military spending while Taiwan could get billions in defense funding from the U.S.

Ryan Robertson Anchor/Investigative Reporter

Japan, Taiwan increasing military spending to counter China

Sep 15, 2022

Ryan Robertson Anchor/Investigative Reporter

By Ryan Robertson (Anchor/Investigative Reporter)

While much of the world focuses on the war in Ukraine, in the Pacific, the focus is squarely on China. Because of China’s saber-rattling on Taiwan, Japan is committing more money to increase its military spending while Taiwan could get billions in defense funding from the United States.

After Russia invaded Ukraine, many Japanese began drawing comparisons to China. Fumio Kishida, Japan’s prime minister, has said several times, “Ukraine today may be East Asia tomorrow.”

Japan has been a mostly pacifist country since World War II, but recent polling shows most Japanese are in favor of increasing military spending. Japan’s ruling party wants to increase military spending to 2% of GDP, bringing it in line with the NATO standard.

One senior politician in Japan told The Economist that the country’s current, meager levels of military spending will make it hard to gain Western support in the event of Chinese military action.

Taiwan seems to be gaining Western support, though. After U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s visit this summer, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted this week on a bill to send Taiwan $4.5 billion for defense over the next four years. The bill calls for engaging with the democratically elected government of Taiwan. The bill would still need to pass through Congress before it goes to President Biden.

Biden said he agrees with parts of the legislation but some sections would go against the “One-China” policy.

For its part, Beijing filed a diplomatic complaint with the U.S. about the bill. A spokeswoman for China’s foreign ministry said if the bill becomes law, there would be extreme consequences for U.S.-China relations and for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

Tags: China, Japan, One-China, Taiwan

WHILE MUCH OF THE WORLD FOCUSES ON THE WAR IN UKRAINE, IN THE PACIFIC, THE FOCUS IS SQUARELY ON CHINA.

BECAUSE OF CHINA’S SABER-RATTLING ON TAIWAN, JAPAN IS COMMITTING MORE MONEY TO BUILD UP ITS MILITARY WHILE TAIWAN COULD GET BILLIONS IN DEFENSE FUNDING FROM THE US

AFTER RUSSIA INVADED UKRAINE, MANY JAPANESE BEGAN DRAWING COMPARISONS TO CHINA.

JAPAN’S PRIME MINISTER HAS SAID SEVERAL TIMES “UKRAINE TODAY MAY BE EAST ASIA TOMORROW.”

JAPAN HAS BEEN A MOSTLY PACIFIST COUNTRY SINCE WORLD WAR II, BUT RECENT POLLING SHOWS MOST JAPANESE ARE IN FAVOR OF INCREASED MILITARY SPENDING.

JAPAN’S RULING PARTY WANTS TO INCREASE MILITARY SPENDING TO 2% OF GDP, BRINGING IT INLINE WITH THE NATO STANDARD.

ONE SENIOR POLITICIAN IN JAPAN TOLD THE ECONOMIST THE COUNTRY’S CURRENT, MEAGER LEVELS OF MILITARY SPENDING WILL MAKE IT HARD TO GAIN WESTERN SUPPORT IN THE EVENT OF CHINESE MILITARY ACTION.

TAIWAN SEEMS TO BE GAINING WESTERN SUPPORT THOUGH.

AFTER NANCY PELOSI’S VISIT THIS SUMMER, THE SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE VOTED THIS WEEK ON A BILL TO SEND TAIWAN $4.5 BILLION FOR DEFENSE OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.

THE BILL ALSO CALLS FOR ENGAGING WITH THE DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED GOVERNMENT OF TAIWAN.

THE BILL WOULD STILL NEED TO PASS THROUGH CONGRESS BEFORE IT GOES TO PRESIDENT BIDEN.

BIDEN SAYS HE AGREES WITH PARTS OF THE LEGISLATION, BUT THAT SOME SECTIONS WOULD GO AGAINST THE “ONE-CHINA” POLICY.

FOR ITS PART, BEIJING FILED A DIPLOMATIC COMPLAINT WITH THE US ABOUT THE BILL. A SPOKESWOMAN FOR CHINA’S FOREIGN MINISTRY SAID IF THE BILL BECOMES LAW, THERE WOULD BE EXTREME CONSEQUENCES FOR US-CHINA RELATIONS, AND FOR PEACE AND STABILITY IN THE TAIWAN STRAIT.