AP News:
TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan will look to its domestic arms industry as well as foreign suppliers to respond to China’s continuing military buildup, but has no interest in engaging in an arms race with its cross-strait rival, the defense ministry said Tuesday.
The remarks from spokesman Chen Chung-ji came a day after China announced an 8.1 percent rise in its military budget for this year to 1.1 trillion yuan ($173 billion), the world’s second largest after the United States.
“Taiwan has no intention of getting involved in an arms race with China, or with neighboring countries,” Chen told reporters at a briefing. “However, we expect to strengthen our capabilities in self-developing arms, including locally built vessels and aircraft, or even information and communication warfare.”
