Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te announced a $40 billion supplementary defense budget on Wednesday to accelerate arms purchases and strengthen deterrence against China.

In an op-ed published a day earlier in the Washington Post, he said the spending was aimed at "defending democratic Taiwan," adding that Taiwan's military aims for a "high level" of readiness by 2027 to deter China.

Lai on Wednesday accused Beijing of trying to turn democratic Taiwan into "China's Taiwan."

"There is no room for compromise on national security," Lai said at a press conference, adding that concession in the face of aggression brought nothing but "enslavement."

"National sovereignty and the core values of freedom and democracy are the very foundation of our nation," he added. 

Government figures show Taiwan's defense budget will reach 3.32% of GDP in 2026, the highest since 2009. Lai aims to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2030.

US, Taiwan hail 'rock solid' relationship

Taiwan's defense minister, Wellington Koo, said the multi-year package, worth T$1.25 trillion ($39.9 billion, €34.4 billion), would be used to buy new systems, including from the US, Taiwan's most important security partner.

Lai stressed the plan was unrelated to ongoing tariff talks with Washington.

The Taiwanese president called the relations with the US "rock solid" and said he had confidence in ties between Taipei and Washington.

The de facto US ambassador in Taipei, Raymond Greene, welcomed the move, saying Washington supports Taiwan's "rapid acquisition of critical asymmetric capabilities needed to strengthen deterrence."

China says will 'crush' foreign interference over Taiwan

China, in recent years, has ramped up military and political pressure to assert its claims over the democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out the use of force to take control of it.

Taipei strongly rejects these claims.

Meanwhile, Beijing on Wednesday warned against any foreign attempts to interfere in its policy towrad Taiwan, after Japan announced plans to deploy missiles on an island near Taiwan.

"We have a firm will, strong determination and a strong ability to defend our national sovereignty and territorial integrity," Peng Qingen, a spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, told a press conference.

"We will crush all foreign interference."

Edited by Sean Sinico