Taiwan's government plans to increase its 2026 defence budget to more than three percent of GDP, the premier said Thursday, as it faces US pressure to invest more in its own protection.

The move was "another concrete demonstration to the world and the people of Taiwan of our resolve and ability to safeguard national sovereignty and security, the stability and security of the Indo-Pacific region, and our shared responsibility with the world," Premier Cho Jung-tai told a news conference.

The proposed spending needs to be approved by the opposition-controlled parliament before it can take effect.

Taiwan's cabinet has allocated NT$949.5 billion (US$31.1 billion), or 3.23 percent of GDP, for defence spending next year, Cho said.

"Our total defence budget is calculated using NATO's model and

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