The Ministry of National Defense's request for a special budget of NT$520 billion (US$15.15 billion) next year to acquire arms already offered from the US was greeted with reservation yesterday by the KMT and PFP.
The defense ministry will need the funds to acquire six batteries of Patriot Advance Capability, or PAC-3, missiles, two long-range radar systems, eight diesel submarines, and 12 P-3 Orion sub-hunting surveillance aircraft.
The US has agreed to sell these weapons to Taiwan, but Taipei has had difficulty coming up with the funds to buy them all. This has prompted Washington officials to doubt Taiwan's determination to defend itself.
The special budget, more than double the current defense budget of NT$260 billion (US$7.62 billion) for this year, is expected to be presented to the Legislative Yuan for approval in the legislative session beginning next month.
DPP Legislator Lee Wen-chung (李文忠) said it is better for the Legislative Yuan to approve this budget before the presidential election in March.
Noting that the military balance across the Taiwan Strait will tilt toward China in the next two to four years, Lee said the armed forces need some time to be trained to use any new equipment and integrate it into the defense system, and that there is no time to waste.
Furthermore, Taiwan will choose a new president next March, which is certain to pre-empt any defense issues in the Legislative Yuan.
He warned the budget will be further delayed if a new administration emerges after the election, but strengthening the country's security cannot be postponed.
His view was questioned by PFP Legislator Chiu Yi (邱毅), who said the Legislative Yuan should not deal with such a huge budget before the presidential election.
If the election results in a new government, it is better to leave the question to the new government and give it a free hand in dealing with it.
PFP legislative whip Lin Yu-fang (林郁芳) said the budget for arms acquisition would be better prepared as an ordinary budget rather than a special budget so that the legislature could better examine its details.
The Executive Yuan should not avoid the legislature's supervision of the arms purchase by hiding it in a special budget as all budgets are financed by the government's revenues and should be monitored by the legislature.
KMT legislative whip Lee Chia-ching (李嘉進) also questioned the appropriateness of purchasing arms with a special budget. Lee warned that the country has already run up a debt of NT$4.79 trillion (US$139.52 billion) and additional debts of NT$520 billion, which would be incurred through loans, could be crippling for the government and the country.
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