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Last Friday, the opposition-controlled legislature passed a smaller NT$780 billion special defense budget, a NT$470 billion decrease from the Cabinet’s original proposal. Items slashed from the NT$1.25 trillion proposal included Direct Commercial Sales from US companies and local contract manufacturing. It also added a provision for annual review by the legislature. Critics said the final budget came at the expense of 90,000 job opportunities, and that the annual review stipulation could risk missing payment deadlines. Meanwhile, Premier Cho Jung-tai pledged to make up for the slashed items and programs, whether to be included into the general budget, or in a new legislative bill.

- You posted that you wish there wasn’t a special defense budget in the first place. Do you really believe that the listed procurements aren’t urgent at all?
- Huh? Hold on, let me check in first.

KMT legislator and co-convener of the Foreign and National Defense Committee Ma Wen-chun refused to elaborate on her personal opposition against a special defense budget on top of the regular annual budget.

Ma Wen-chun
Legislator (KMT)
We do support having a national defense budget, but not to have it all earmarked under the special budget.

The approved budget bill has a cap of NT$780 billion—down from the cabinet’s proposed NT$1.25 trillion. The ruling DPP expressed regret over the decision, saying that it comes at the expense of an estimated 90,000 job opportunities and the local drone industry. An unnamed US White House official was reportedly disappointed by the smaller budget. In response, Premier Cho Jung-tai pledged to deliver on the slashed items and programs.

Cho Jung-tai
Premier
The necessity of national defense is more than the budget itself. We must regain the people’s confidence and international partners’ trust. The government will definitely deliver on these promises. The fragmented special budget comes as a huge blow to national defense and security, and so we must cooperate more closely with international partners. I hope that ruling and opposition parties alike can have a clear understanding of the reality.

Lin Chia-lung
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Taiwan plays a key role in the face of the US’ Indo-Pacific strategy, especially regarding the First Island Chain. I also hope that Taiwan’s legislature can make amends and that ruling and opposition parties can work together.

Cabinet officials are calling on opposition parties to cooperate for the greater national interest. Meanwhile, the ruling party also points out that the annual review stipulation in the approved special defense budget bill could risk missing the May 31 deadline for US-made HIMARS system and threaten future procurements. The Cabinet is considering adding that and other slashed items either to the general budget or by proposing a new legislative bill for approval. That could be feasible, according to the DPP’s co-convener of the Foreign and National Defense Committee, Chen Kuan-ting.

Chen Kuan-ting
Legislator (DPP)
It’s true that some opposition party legislators seem to be more conservative and rational. They are not so quick to oppose our proposals. I hope that the KMT will support their more rational legislators, because otherwise, they’ll lose swing voters’ support.

Thirty-eight civic groups are organizing a rally on May 23 in support of the original special defense budget bill, and to protest against KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun and Legislator Fu Kun-chi, who were behind an even paltrier NT$38 million budget proposal.

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#國防特別條例 #defense #taiwanpolitics #drones #defensebudget


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