US Official: Various Military Aid Plans for Taiwan Under Review, Urges Taiwan to Pass Special Budget
US War Department official John Noh stated at a hearing that the US is actively formulating security assistance plans for Taiwan and urged Taiwan's political parties to pass a special defense budget to enhance self-defense capabilities.
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- 📰 Published: April 23, 2026 at 08:56
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(Central News Agency reporter Hou Tzu-ying, Washington, 22nd) John Noh, Assistant Secretary of the War Department for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, stated today at a congressional hearing that the War Department has multiple tools to provide security assistance to Taiwan and is actively formulating various proposals to report to the leadership. In a written statement, he also mentioned encouraging Taiwan's political parties to cooperate in passing a special defense budget to fund defense needs.
The US House Armed Services Committee held a hearing today on the deployment posture of the US military in the Indo-Pacific region and national security challenges. John Noh and US Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo attended.
In his written statement, Noh pointed out that the United States is calling on wealthy and capable allies and partners to share the responsibility of restoring and maintaining deterrence by increasing defense spending. This is especially crucial for Taiwan.
He said that Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te has committed to increasing core defense spending to 5% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2030, which includes a special defense budget to address many of Taiwan's most critical defense gaps. The War Department is working closely with Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense to develop this historic special defense budget and encourages Taiwan's political parties to cooperate in funding these needs.
Noh noted that Taiwan still needs to do more, faster, to ensure it has sufficient self-defense capabilities to address threats.
President Lai last year proposed an additional defense budget of $40 billion (about NT$1.25 trillion) over eight years to counter China, but it was obstructed by the opposition camp led by the Kuomintang (KMT), pushing a KMT version of the proposal with a reduced scale.
Regarding the issue of US security assistance to Taiwan raised by the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Republican Representative Mike Rogers, Noh responded at the hearing that the War Department has multiple tools to provide security assistance to Taiwan, including Foreign Military Sales, "Presidential Drawdown Authority" (PDA), and the "Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative."
He said, "We are actively developing options to present to the leadership," including War Secretary Pete Hegseth and US President Donald Trump, exploring different ways to provide security assistance to Taiwan, and "will continue to do so."
In addition, Democratic Representative Salud Carbajal asked about the benefits of Taiwan possessing US-made F-16 fighter jets and issues such as delays in F-16 deliveries. Paparo responded that integrated air and missile defense is critical, spanning all domains and across all conflict zones. He also believes that the delivery of every foreign military sale must not only be on time but also early, "this is important," and relevant US departments are working hard to resolve related issues.
Some lawmakers also asked what "non-kinetic" means China might use to gain control over Taiwan. Paparo responded that these include united front work, information warfare, and legal warfare operations, such as establishing new customs entities supported by law enforcement forces like the China Coast Guard. "These are all contingency scenarios we have deeply planned for," he said. Other means include seizing small islands, near-blockades, or blockades.
He said these are Beijing's preferred pathways.
Nevertheless, Paparo pointed out in his written statement that Beijing has not ruled out the possibility of using force against Taiwan.
The US House Armed Services Committee held a hearing today on the deployment posture of the US military in the Indo-Pacific region and national security challenges. John Noh and US Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo attended.
In his written statement, Noh pointed out that the United States is calling on wealthy and capable allies and partners to share the responsibility of restoring and maintaining deterrence by increasing defense spending. This is especially crucial for Taiwan.
He said that Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te has committed to increasing core defense spending to 5% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2030, which includes a special defense budget to address many of Taiwan's most critical defense gaps. The War Department is working closely with Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense to develop this historic special defense budget and encourages Taiwan's political parties to cooperate in funding these needs.
Noh noted that Taiwan still needs to do more, faster, to ensure it has sufficient self-defense capabilities to address threats.
President Lai last year proposed an additional defense budget of $40 billion (about NT$1.25 trillion) over eight years to counter China, but it was obstructed by the opposition camp led by the Kuomintang (KMT), pushing a KMT version of the proposal with a reduced scale.
Regarding the issue of US security assistance to Taiwan raised by the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Republican Representative Mike Rogers, Noh responded at the hearing that the War Department has multiple tools to provide security assistance to Taiwan, including Foreign Military Sales, "Presidential Drawdown Authority" (PDA), and the "Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative."
He said, "We are actively developing options to present to the leadership," including War Secretary Pete Hegseth and US President Donald Trump, exploring different ways to provide security assistance to Taiwan, and "will continue to do so."
In addition, Democratic Representative Salud Carbajal asked about the benefits of Taiwan possessing US-made F-16 fighter jets and issues such as delays in F-16 deliveries. Paparo responded that integrated air and missile defense is critical, spanning all domains and across all conflict zones. He also believes that the delivery of every foreign military sale must not only be on time but also early, "this is important," and relevant US departments are working hard to resolve related issues.
Some lawmakers also asked what "non-kinetic" means China might use to gain control over Taiwan. Paparo responded that these include united front work, information warfare, and legal warfare operations, such as establishing new customs entities supported by law enforcement forces like the China Coast Guard. "These are all contingency scenarios we have deeply planned for," he said. Other means include seizing small islands, near-blockades, or blockades.
He said these are Beijing's preferred pathways.
Nevertheless, Paparo pointed out in his written statement that Beijing has not ruled out the possibility of using force against Taiwan.