TAIPEI: Taiwan can well afford a US$40 billion special defence budget given its booming economy, President Lai Ching-te said on Saturday (Mar 14), citing a US emphasis on collective burden-sharing. Lai's proposed spending, which he says is needed to better face a rising threat from China, has been bogged down in parliament, where the opposition, which has a majority of seats, complains that the plans are unclear and says it cannot sign "blank cheques". Marking the 30th anniversary of Taiwan's