Currently, Taiwan has set an increase in its defense budget to 3.3% of its GDP for 2026, allocating $949.5 billion Taiwan dollars ($31.18 billion). U.S. President Donald Trump has demanded Taiwan raise its defense spending to as much as 10% of GDP, a proportion well above what the U.S. or any of its major allies spend.

Lai had previewed the announcement in an op-ed for The Washington Post on Wednesday, saying the special budget would be used to purchase arms from the U.S. He told reporters Wednesday, however, that the budget has nothing to do with the government’s tariff negotiations with the U.S.

  • kindred@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    12 hours ago

    US empire and wealthy capitalists aren’t the same thing, although their interests sometimes align.

    All the billionaires in Taiwan are Taiwanese.

    Wealthy capitalists, if they’re not based in the US, have moved to those places, not to Taiwan.

      • kindred@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        5 hours ago

        I was saying that the billionaires were not moving to the island of Taiwan.

        You’re talking about US Empire, which, as mentioned in my other responses in this thread, is irrelevant to the physical movements of billionaires.

        Even if Taiwan declared itself to be US Empire island #76, it would not change the fact that billionaires did not move to the island of Taiwan.

        • BrainInABox@lemmy.ml
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          5 hours ago

          I was saying that the billionaires were not moving to the island of Taiwan.

          Man, you really are a dishonest little troll aren’t you: “oh I was just saying this thing completely unrelated to the topic at hand. Oh, you thought I had a point? Nope, just making random statements for no reason.”

          Fuck off

          • kindred@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            5 hours ago

            This was the statement I was responding to:

            It’s basically an island that all the wealthy capitalists ran away to after China imposed economic democracy.

            Here was my response :

            Wealthy capitalists, if they’re not based in the US, have moved to [Singapore (or Switzerland, or the UAE)], not to Taiwan.

            Where was what I said dishonest or irrelevant?

            Edit: reorganized for legibility

            • BrainInABox@lemmy.ml
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              4 hours ago

              They obviously meant the wealthy capitalists from China I think it’s pretty clear that you’re playing dumb on purpose.

              • kindred@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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                3 hours ago

                Wealthy capitalists, if they’re not based in the US

                Are you talking about this part? If so, what I was saying was that billionaires moved to either the US or the three countries I mentioned.

                That means the billionaires from China also did not move to Taiwan.

                You can also look at the wiki for Taiwan’s billionaires. Only one was born in China and not Taiwan (Hong Kong, specifically), and I’m pretty sure he moved to Taiwan way before the events we’re taking about in this thread.

                • BrainInABox@lemmy.ml
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                  1 hour ago

                  Lol, I thought you were blocking me, you coward. Felt you needed to get the last word in first?

      • kindred@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        7 hours ago

        An intermediary.

        A native of a colonised country who acts as the agent of the coloniser.

        I don’t get the point you’re trying to make.

        I said the wealthy capitalists went to not!Taiwan because the billionaires in Taiwan were already there.

        Who is or is not a comprador has nothing to do with where wealthy capitalists relocate.

        • RiverRock@lemmy.ml
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          3 hours ago

          I don’t get the point you’re trying to make

          Then you’re trying very hard not to get it. Try harder, I believe in you👍