New legislation stipulating a NT$30,000 monthly allowance for military service volunteers would greatly increase military expenditure, limiting funding for operation and maintenance costs and military investment, Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said yesterday.
Utilizing their majority in the Legislative Yuan, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party on Tuesday passed amendments to Article 5 of the Pay Act of the Armed Forces (軍人待遇條例) aimed at boosting military recruitment and retention.
Military personnel all work very hard and hope for appropriate adjustments to their compensation, Koo told reporters before attending a Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee meeting at the legislature.
Photo: CNA
Following directives from President William Lai (賴清德), allowances for military service volunteers and combat units were increased on April 1, and allowances for cyberwarfare personnel were increased on June 1, Koo said.
In the future, allowances for electronic reconnaissance and air traffic control personnel would also be increased, he said.
Koo requested that the Legislative Yuan consult the Cabinet and the Ministry of National Defense when significantly increasing expenditures, as increasing allowances of military personnel takes away funding from other important budgetary items.
The ministry always carefully considers the balance between various budgetary items and funding sources, Koo said.
The defense budget has three major categories: operation and maintenance costs, military investment and personnel maintenance costs, he said.
Koo was also asked about exercises recently carried out by the Chinese Shandong and Liaoning aircraft carriers in the western Pacific.
The military is aware of these activities, including their passage through the first island chain to the second island chain, he said.
The movements convey political messages and show China’s expansionist intentions, he said.
Meanwhile, the Taiwan-US Defense Industry Forum began in Taipei yesterday morning, discussing the potential for the nations to coproduce drones.
It is the ministry’s goal to produce drones independently through a “non-red” supply chain and even enter the international market, Koo said.
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