A soldier gestures near an armoured vehicle during a drill simulating a Chinese attack, in an urban area as part of the annual Han Kuang exercises, in New Taipei City, Taiwan July 15, 2025. REUTERS/Annabelle Chih

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The nominee to be the Pentagon's senior official for the Indo-Pacific region said on Tuesday he strongly supported President Donald Trump in saying that Taiwan should spend up to 10% of its GDP on defense.

John Noh told his confirmation hearing at the Senate Armed Services Committee that Taiwan's current moves to increase its defense spending were "all promising."

"It was President Trump who said that Taiwan, which is an island that faces an existential threat from the People's Liberation Army, from the Chinese military, that Taiwan should spend upwards to 10% of its GDP on defense. I strongly support that," he added.

(Reporting by David Brunnstrom)