The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has stated that it could have its version of the special defense budget readied by Feb. 24, listed for discussion by March 11 following elections of committee conveners and reviewed by the end of March.
The KMT and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) have staunchly opposed the Executive Yuan’s NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.7 billion) special defense budget which was proposed late last year, covering this year through to 2033, to bolster the nation’s defense resilience and asymmetric capabilities.
However, the TPP last month proffered its own version of a special budget defense bill for NT$400 billion.
Photo: Chen Yi-Kuan, Taipei Times
On Feb. 12, 37 bipartisan US lawmakers sent a joint letter to Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), the heads of the KMT and the TPP, and the Democratic Progressive Party caucus whip, expressing concern about the legislature stalling proposed defense spending.
US Senator Pete Ricketts, who led the letter, urged “Taiwan to pass the full special defense budget,” as “the threat posed by Communist China against Taiwan has never been greater.”
According to a source, commenting on condition of anonymity, the version that currently enjoys greater support within the KMT caucus, especially among younger party members, is one with a NT$750 billion allotment.
However, the source said there are rumors that KMT Chairwoman Cheng Li-chun (鄭麗君) sought a proposal of no more than NT$350 billion.
The source also said that former TPP Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) recently stated that the TPP would amend its proposed defense budget after discussions with the US.
A KMT legislator, speaking on condition of anonymity, said caucus members were amenable to discussing a budget, but that there were fundamental disagreements over the budget number.
The KMT party central has never wanted to block the budget, but wished to keep the budget cap at NT$350 billion, regardless of whether it is a caucus-proposed version or an amendment proposal on the floor, the legislator said.
The legislator said the KMT hoped that the proposed budget would be delivered for committee discussion as soon as possible, adding that only then can the parties discuss what they actually want to see happen.
Citing the KMT proposal to raise wages for military personnel, the legislator said that if the proposal went to committee, legislators could then discuss the ratio of officers to total army size, and that it was only fair to discuss reasonable wages for military personnel when discussing a budget to purchase large amounts of military equipment.
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