Despite -- or because of -- American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Stephen Young's recent comments, pan-blue lawmakers once again refused to take action on a long-stalled US arms procurement package yesterday.
Young on Thursday urged the legislature to approve the package this fall.
While the committee was convening yesterday, dozens of people from the Anti-Arms Purchasing Alliance led by independent Legislator May Chin (高金素梅) staged a protest, shouting "oppose arms purchase."
PHOTO: CNA
Altercations occurred when dozens of legislative police officers attempted to prevent the protesters from making their way to the conference room on the second floor where the committee was meeting. One police officer was slightly injured.
During the committee meeting, Taiwan Solidarity Union Legislator Liao Pen-yen (
Liu and Lee walked over to Liao and stood in front of him, to which Liao responded by hitting his desk.
"The KMT didn't dare to let the procurement through the Procedure Committee as it was afraid that the PFP would [retaliate by] siding with the pan-greens on the party assets statute," Liao said, referring to a statute aimed at divesting the KMT of its stolen party assets.
The KMT and PFP reached a consensus on Monday that there is no rush to review the arms budgets or the president's nominations for Control Yuan members and the nation's top prosecutor.
The effort to procure 12 P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft, eight diesel-electric submarines and six Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) anti-missile batteries from the US has been stalled since 2004.
In its initial incarnation, the deal was submitted by the Cabinet to the legislature as a NT$610.8 billion (US$16 billion) special budget.
After a series of revisions and price cuts, the latest effort to procure the weapons systems has taken the form of a NT$6.2 billion supplemental budget, which would provide initial funding for only part of the three programs.
The supplemental budget includes initial funding for the purchase of the P-3Cs, the upgrading of PAC-2 anti-missile batteries, and partial funding for the submarine design, as well as NT$700 million for building an airstrip on Taiping Island.
Muddying the waters is the fact that the special budget -- reduced to NT$340 billion for the 12 P-3Cs and the eight subs only -- is still before the legislature.
The Executive Yuan last Tuesday proposed a motion to remove the special arms budget from consideration and put the supplemental budget on the legislative agenda, but both requests were turned down by the committee.
Almost the same sequence of events played out yesterday.
Independent Legislator Li Ao (
Meanwhile, a US weekly reported on Monday that Taiwan's ties with the US have eroded to an unprecedented degree amid the defense budget gridlock.
According to the latest edition of Defense News, lawmakers are trying the US' patience.
Washington insists that the arms it has offered Taiwan are necessary to maintain the nation's defensive capabilities in the face of a rapidly expanding Chinese military.
"Adding a degree of bewilderment to US officials' disappointment, one legislator popped a canister of noxious gas during the debate [on the bill], forcing his colleagues to flee in tears ... [Such] antics do little to ease the growing perception in Washington that Taiwan's appetite for standing up to China may be waning," the report states, referring to Li's actions.
The report quoted a former AIT official who suggested China is behind the pan-blue camp's efforts to stymie the defense budget.
"Chinese medals will be awarded to some legislative members for blocking this budget," the unnamed official was quoted as saying, adding that pan-blue lawmakers' personal business interests in China were also behind their opposition to strengthening the nation's military.
"Too many pro-China legislators [in Taiwan] have investments in China, even own factories. China is having a good time seeing its agents in Taiwan work so well," a senior Taiwan defense official was also quoted as saying in the report.
also see stories:
MND defends efforts to win arms deal
Editorial: National defense starts at home
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
RSS