TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) delivered a sharp rebuke to legislators on Tuesday (March 25) , condemning recent legislative maneuvers that would mandate the distribution of tax surpluses directly to citizens. The draft amendment, which passed through the Legislative Yuan (立法院), would transform occasional government surplus distributions into a legally required procedure. Cho characterized the move as a constitutional breach that inappropriately encroaches upon the executive branch's authority to manage national finances.
The premier underscored the fundamental separation of powers within Taiwan's government structure, noting that budget formulation falls squarely within the Executive Yuan's (行政院) constitutional mandate. The legislature's function, he insisted, should remain confined to reviewing and approving these financial plans rather than dictating specific allocation mechanisms. Cho cautioned that codifying rigid budget distribution formulas would severely restrict the government's ability to respond to changing economic conditions and emerging national priorities.
The administration's frustration extends beyond this single amendment, with Cho accusing opposition parties of systematically undermining the "Budget Act" (預算法) through multiple legislative actions. These repeated incursions, according to the premier, constitute a troubling pattern of legislative overreach into executive functions. While acknowledging the importance of prudent management of surplus revenues, Cho emphasized the necessity of maintaining flexibility to address evolving national priorities and societal needs rather than locking funds into predetermined distribution channels that might prove detrimental to Taiwan's long-term development.
Opposition parties have advanced competing proposals for handling Taiwan's tax surpluses. The Taiwan People's Party (TPP, 民眾黨) champions direct distribution of excess revenues to citizens as cash dividends. Meanwhile, the Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨), Taiwan's main opposition party, supports immediate cash payments to taxpayers when surpluses occur. Taking yet another approach, the smaller White Party has advocated for a three-way division of surplus funds that they argue would better maintain fiscal discipline while still providing public benefits.
While acknowledging the principle that Taiwanese citizens deserve to participate in the fruits of national prosperity, Cho insisted that such sharing must occur within a strategically sound fiscal framework. The premier warned that embedding specific distribution mechanisms into law would create inflexible structures that could hamstring future administrations facing different economic circumstances. This legal rigidity, he cautioned, might ultimately impede Taiwan's economic resilience and adaptability in an increasingly uncertain global environment.
