Taipei, Taiwan - Taiwan's government hiked its 2025 defense spending budget to more than 3% of GDP in response to mounting pressure from the Trump administration to do more to counter China.

Taiwan's government plans to increase its 2026 defense budget to 3.32% of GDP, Premier Cho Jung-tai announced on Thursday, as it faces pressure from the US to invest more in its own protection.

Taipei has ramped up investment in military equipment and weapons over the past decade in response to intensifying pressure from China, which claims that the democratic island is part of its sovereign territory.

Premier Cho Jung-tai said the latest hike was "another concrete demonstration to the world and the people of Taiwan of our resolve and ability to safeguard national sovereignty and security."

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Cho also said that the defense spending boost will help "maintain stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region, and fulfil our shared responsibilities to the world."

The proposed spending needs to be approved by the opposition-controlled parliament before it can take effect, and it will allocate the equivalent of $31.1 billion for defense spending in 2026, a 22.9% increase from 2025.

The move follows Taiwan President Lai Ching-te's vow to increase defense spending to more than three percent of GDP as part of efforts to avoid US President Donald Trump's brutal tariffs.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning did not address the defense boost in her Thursday press conference, but did use the opportunity to again claim that Taiwan is part of China.

"Let me stress that there is but one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory," she said. "This is a prevailing consensus among the international community."