TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA, 外交部) on Tuesday blamed inflation and rising costs of high-level diplomatic visits for the sharp increase in its international engagement budget.
MOFA's latest budget report shows an increase from NT$260 million this year to over NT$420 million, marking a more than 60% rise. The expanded budget will cover international conferences and diplomatic activities, reflecting a focus on global exchanges.
MOFA spokesperson Jeff Liu (劉永健) emphasized that diplomacy has consistently prioritized international interactions, and the budget reflects this commitment.
He assured that MOFA would provide comprehensive explanations to the Legislative Yuan, which will soon review the new budget proposal. Liu added that the budget has been thoroughly verified, and further details will be provided during the legislative review.
The increased budget allocation will focus on the regions and activities outlined in the proposal. Liu said that MOFA is prepared to respond to legislators' inquiries regarding the specific budgetary details.
