Taiwan's 2027 defence spending to rise 16%, official media reports

The move will come as China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has ramped up military and political pressure over the past few years to assert its claims, which Taipei strongly rejects.

But Taiwan also faces calls from Washington to spend more on its own defence, mirroring pressure from the United States on Europe, something President Lai Ching-te has enthusiastically embraced.

Taiwan's government has made military modernisation a key policy platform and has repeatedly pledged to spend more on its defences, including developing made-in-Taiwan submarines, given the rising threat from China.

China's military operates almost daily around Taiwan, and holds periodic war games, the last in late December.

China is also rapidly modernising its armed forces, with new aircraft carriers, stealth fighter jets and missiles.

In March, China unveiled a rise of in this year's defence spending, to .