The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday promised to place a long-stalled arms procurement bill on the legislative agenda, while the People First Party (PFP) remained opposed to it, threatening to boycott the bill in today's legislative session.
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
Wang made the remarks when Lee paid a visit to him yesterday showing his concern for the bill.
PHOTO: WANG YI-SUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
"It's the PFP's stance that matters, as it will more or less influence the KMT," Wang said.
Today's legislative session will confirm whether the NT$6.27 billion (US$192 million) supplemental budget, which would provide initial funding for the purchase of weapons from the US, will be referred for an initial review as Tuesday's procedure committee had suggested.
The pan-blue dominated procedure committee on Tuesday agreed for the first time to advance the bill onto the agenda as PFP lawmakers said that they "forgot" to oppose it.
The supplemental budget includes initial funding for the purchase of P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft, the upgrading of PAC-2 anti-missile batteries, partial funding for the design of submarines, as well as NT$700 million to build an airstrip on Taiping Island.
KMT policy convener Tseng Yung-chuan (
PFP Spokesman Lee Hung-chun (
"Although the KMT might change its position, we still stick to our [guns]," Lee Hung-chun said.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Progressive Party legislative caucus may propose a motion in today's session to refer the arms bill directly to a second reading, which can bypass the initial review stage and speed up the passage of legislation.
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