KMT Split Over Defense Spending Plan – April 30, 2026
Some members of Taiwan's main opposition Kuomintang are saying their original defense budget proposal is too low and are seeking a higher amount. A Bloomberg report says Prague and Berlin denied a transit stop to President Lai Ching-te as diplomats sought a last-minute alternative to salvage his planned visit to Eswatini. And the US and Philippines are carrying out their annual joint Balikatan exercises, this year with participation from Japan and other nations with an increased focus on deterring aggression from China. Plus: - Taiwan falls four places to 28th in the world in this year's Press Freedom Index from Reporters Without Borders but retains second place in Asia. - A Taipei court gives former CuboAI CEO Tseng Chih-hsin a life sentence for the premeditated murder of Liang Tzu-ling, another company executive. - Some young Palestinians in Khan Younis, Gaza are coming together to hit the gym, building their bodies while rebuilding their homes.
