Remarks earlier this week by US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump that Taiwanshould "pay" the US for protection from China have sown doubt on the self-ruled island about Washington's commitment to defense should Trump win the presidency.

Trump's remarks have sparked heated debates and blanket media coverage in Taiwan, with headlines warning of "Trump security fees."

The US is Taiwan's most important security benefactor as it faces a persistent threat from China, which considers the democratic island to be a breakaway province that one day will be "reunited" with the mainland, by force if necessary.

In the interview published Tuesday, Trump said that he didn't think US protection for Taiwan was "any different from an insurance policy."

"Why are we doing this? … I think Taiwan should pay us for defense," he said.

On Wednesday, Taiwan's premier, Cho Jung-tai, addressed Trump's remarks at a press briefing and underlined Tapei's increased defense spending in recent budgets and the extension of military conscription to one year.

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"It's our shared responsibility and goal to maintain the peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region," Cho........

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