The government expects next year’s economic growth rate to be 5.1 percent and per capital national income to be US$19,756, both lower than the figures that President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) promised during his campaign — 6 percent and US$30,000.
The projections were made in the government’s budget request for next year, which was sent to the legislature for review yesterday. The legislature is scheduled to convene on Sept. 19.
The Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics said the economic growth rate this year was expected to reach 4.3 percent, while per capital national income was projected at US$18,883.
PHOTO: CHU PEI-HSIUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
The budget request will yield a shortfall of NT$124.8 billion (US$4 billion), which will bring the nation’s debt to NT$4.026 trillion — an increase of NT$120.5 billion, or 3.08 percent, over this year.
In the budget request, the central government’s spending was projected at NT$1.62 trillion, an increase of NT$118.3 billion, or 6.9 percent, over this year, while annual revenue was projected at NT$1.7052 trillion, up from NT$1.6203 trillion.
The Ministry of National Defense’s annual budget stood at NT$315.2 billion for next year, a decrease of NT$10.4 billion, or 3.2 percent, from this year’s level, marking the only one expenditure item that saw a drop in the budget request.
Despite the drop, the amount allowed Ma to meet his campaign promise to keep his administration’s spending in national defense at no less than 3 percent of GDP.
However, the decrease in the defense budget mainly came from money initially earmarked for arms purchases from the US, a decrease of NT$44.1 billion in the ministry’s confidential budget, half of which was said to be used in military investment.
A legislative aid, who asked not to be named, said the reduction came in the wake of a US freeze on arms sales as the ministry planned to reserve the approved arms budget for next year and therefore there was no need to add funds to next year’s budget request.
Among other expenditure items, the spending for economic development for next year increased by 23 percent and that for community development and environmental protection rose by 64.2 percent in comparison with those of this year.
Meanwhile, the budget request statement showed that the confidential budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, usually used in foreign aid, was cut by NT$1.927 billion, or 33.34 percent, from NT$5.779 billion this year to NT$3.851 billion.
The reduction reflected Ma’s call for a diplomatic truce with China, under which both sides of the Strait stop luring each other’s allies by offering large sums of money.
Taiwan would benefit from more integrated military strategies and deployments if the US and its allies treat the East China Sea, the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea as a “single theater of operations,” a Taiwanese military expert said yesterday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a researcher at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said he made the assessment after two Japanese military experts warned of emerging threats from China based on a drill conducted this month by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) Eastern Theater Command. Japan Institute for National Fundamentals researcher Maki Nakagawa said the drill differed from the
‘WORSE THAN COMMUNISTS’: President William Lai has cracked down on his political enemies and has attempted to exterminate all opposition forces, the chairman said The legislature would motion for a presidential recall after May 20, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday at a protest themed “against green communists and dictatorship” in Taipei. Taiwan is supposed to be a peaceful homeland where people are united, but President William Lai (賴清德) has been polarizing and tearing apart society since his inauguration, Chu said. Lai must show his commitment to his job, otherwise a referendum could be initiated to recall him, he said. Democracy means the rule of the people, not the rule of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), but Lai has failed to fulfill his
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by
A rally held by opposition parties yesterday demonstrates that Taiwan is a democratic country, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, adding that if opposition parties really want to fight dictatorship, they should fight it on Tiananmen Square in Beijing. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) held a protest with the theme “against green communists and dictatorship,” and was joined by the Taiwan People’s Party. Lai said the opposition parties are against what they called the “green communists,” but do not fight against the “Chinese communists,” adding that if they really want to fight dictatorship, they should go to the right place and face
RSS