Taiwan is raising its military budget to more than 3 percent of GDP, with officials already eyeing an even bigger jump in the years ahead. The move follows President Donald Trump’s call for stronger alliances and deterrence. Members of the free world are responding to Trump’s deterrence call. Across the Indo-Pacific, key allies and partners are boosting their defense budgets. We break it down. How close are we to a war over Taiwan? We spoke with an expert who explains why the West may need to prepare. The Philippines and Australia are joining forces in a new defense pact. The deal boosts military cooperation between the two key U.S. allies and counters growing threats from communist China. Trump speaks out on TikTok, addressing security risks and the future of the Chinese-owned app. Is a sale to American buyers possible? 00:00 Intro 01:10 Key U.S. Asia Defense Partners Favor Budget Rise 02:56 WH: Peace Through Strength Delivering Results 05:05 Paskal: West Should Prepare for China’s Taiwan Invasion 07:51 Nvidia CEO in Taiwan to Visit TSMC 10:14 U.S. Navy Sailor Convicted of Spying for China 10:53 Fed Chair Powell Opens Door to Interest Rate Cut 12:57 Rate Cut Not Guaranteed as Powell Flags Inflation Risks 14:16 Philippines & Australia to Seal New Defense Pact 16:38 Trump Addresses TikTok Safety Concerns, Potential Buyers 17:22 TikTok to Lay Off Hundreds of Staff in UK 18:40 Pandora to Close About 100 Stores in China 19:44 Microsoft Scales Back Chinese Access 20:24 SpaceX Launches Military Spaceplane X-37B 21:09 India Successfully Test-Fires Agni 5 Missile
Source: U.S. Allies Going Big on Defense against China, Taiwan Pres. Vows 5% of GDP | China in Focus
