Lawmakers from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) have accused their counterparts from the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) of weakening national security, following proposed budget cuts to the submarine program and draft amendments to the Civil Defense Act (民防法).
DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) and legislators Michelle Lin (林楚茵) and Puma Shen (沈伯洋) held a news conference yesterday to discuss concerns about the proposals that they said could undermine national security goals.
Taiwan’s defense has serious challenges, Wu said, adding that KMT legislators Ma Wen-chun (馬文君), Huang Jen (黃仁) and Hsu Chiao-hsin (徐巧芯) blocked funding for construction of domestic submarines.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
The total submarine budget for the next 14 years is NT$28.4 billion (US$873 million), with the budget for next year set at NT$1.9 billion.
However, Hsu proposed a budget cut of NT$1.7 billion for next year, leaving just NT$200 million, while Ma and Huang proposed cutting the budget entirely.
China’s military activities near Taiwan’s airspace have increased in frequency, but the KMT has not allowed for Taiwan to strengthen its defensive capabilities since the Chen Shui-bian administration (陳水扁), Wu said.
During the administration of former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), the government prioritized domestic submarine construction, but the KMT has repeatedly blocked those plans through budget freezes and proposed cuts, he said.
National defense requires unity, just as Taiwanese showed unity when cheering for “Team Taiwan” — the national baseball team who won the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s Premier12 championship in Tokyo this weekend, Lin said.
Comparing the budget for next year to a deposit on purchasing a home, Lin said that if the proposed budget cuts go through, it would announce to the world that Taiwan is abandoning its submarine program.
That behavior only benefits the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), she said, adding that the KMT should consider whether it wants to be the CPP’s “local collaborator” or support Taiwan instead.
Shen compared Taiwan’s national defense to winning a baseball championship — the frontline armed forces, the civil defense systems, and the people’s self-defense determination must all come together to achieve success.
By cutting the submarine budget and amending the Civil Defense Act and All-out Defense Mobilization Readiness Act (全民防衛動員準備法), the KMT undermines Taiwan’s frontline defense systems, reduces its logistical support and weakens the ability for citizens to participate in its defense, Shen said.
Recent actions by the KMT, including the proposed changes to the Constitutional Court and Officials Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法), “hollow out” the country, Shen added.
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