Taiwan's proposed defense budget for next year will reach 3.32% of GDP, and President Lai Ching-te said in August the goal was to hit 5% by 2030, as the democratically-governed island seeks to bolster its deterrence against giant neighbor China.

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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.

Pushed by the United States, Taiwan has been working to transform its armed forces to be able to wage "asymmetric warfare", developing more mobile and lethal weapons including missiles, as well as cheaper systems like drones that can be used for surveillance as well as on attack missions.

Speaking to reporters at parliament in Taipei on Wednesday, Taiwan Defense Minister Wellington Koo said defense spending was based on the enemy threat level.