TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Japanese scholar Ogasawara Yoshiyuki said that US politicians pressuring Taiwan to increase its defense spending could “play into China’s hands.”

In his op-ed published on Thursday (Aug. 15), Ogasawara said in recent years US politicians and foreign policy experts have demanded that Taiwan increase its defense spending, per Nikkei Asia.

As an example he said that Elbridge Colby, an official in the Trump administration, wrote an article in May arguing that Taipei should increase its budget from the current 2.5% of annual gross domestic product to at least 5%, per CNA. “He basically said that Taiwan should not expect US support if it fails to do so.”

Ogasawara said such comments have sparked debate in Taiwan. “Former President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) has said that ‘money-pit bills’ for arms purchases would ruin public finances and only benefit the US defense industry,” he commented.

Ogasawara explained that Taiwan’s defense budget was 3% of GDP in 2008 but decreased to 2.1% during the Ma administration in 2016. Under President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), it rose to 2.5%.

“The budget increased by 66% over the past eight years from NT$365.8 billion (US$11.3 billion) to NT$606.8 billion. So it is not as if Taiwan isn't making an effort,” Ogasawara argued. The scholar also warned that an increase in the military budget to 5% of the GDP could cause a domestic uproar.

“As the US presidential election approaches, stateside discussions on Taiwan will inevitably be conducted with American voters in mind,” he said. “It is important that some people in influential US positions grasp the nuances and complexity of the Taiwan issue.”