The Executive Yuan is currently reviewing a comprehensive plan by the Ministry of National Defense (MND) to raise military pay, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said today.
Cho’s comments came a day after Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers put forward a proposal to increase pay and benefits for military personnel.
Yesterday at a news conference, KMT caucus secretary-general Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇) proposed increasing the volunteer military service allowance from NT$10,000 to NT$30,000, raising overtime pay and combat unit allowances, and improving benefits.
Photo: Liao Chen-hui, Taipei Times
Prior to a meeting at the Legislative Yuan today, Cho expressed appreciation for the armed forces’ efforts in defending the nation and said that President William Lai (賴清德) has already made plans to make substantial changes to military wages.
The ministry has already drafted a comprehensive plan, which the Executive Yuan is currently reviewing, Cho said.
Cho said he was pleased to see the potential for bipartisan consensus on improving national defense capabilities, adding that such consensus could lead to quicker, more effective and more comprehensive reform.
Meanwhile, Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said that “shouting prices” is not an effective method of reform.
The matter should not be politicized, Koo said, adding that large increases in expenditures should first pass through the Executive Yuan, rather than being arbitrarily decided by lawmakers.
Since Lai took office, he has requested proposals to adjust military wages and benefits, and the ministry is in close communication with the Executive Yuan to reach a consensus, Koo said.
In reference to the KMT Legislator Hsu Chiao-hsin (徐巧芯) yesterday saying that increasing wages should take priority over arms sales, Koo disagreed, saying that the two matters are not related.
Defense spending includes personnel, operational and maintenance costs, and investments in new technologies, which all need to be emphasized equally, he added.
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