TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's main opposition party leader called for urgent military modernization Thursday (May 15), citing international conflicts as cautionary examples. Eric Chu (朱立倫), chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨), Taiwan's oldest political party, stressed that defense upgrades and improved personnel training had become imperative, drawing specific lessons from recent Indo-Pakistani military confrontations.
Chu pledged his party's backing for an upcoming special defense budget session in Taiwan's parliament, the Legislative Yuan (立法院), underscoring the KMT's dedication to national security despite its opposition status. The veteran politician emphasized electronic warfare capabilities as a critical priority alongside enhanced military training programs. Chu also urged cross-party collaboration to prevent Taiwan's strategic industries from relocating offshore, promoting what he termed a "Taiwan first" strategy for protecting the island's industrial base.
Pivoting to energy policy, Chu highlighted recent changes to the "Nuclear Reactor Facilities Regulation Act" (核子反應器設施管制法) that permit extending nuclear power plant operations by two decades, a significant shift in Taiwan's energy strategy. This regulatory change, he explained, would require corresponding amendments to the Electricity Act (電業法) to maintain energy security across the island. The KMT chairman promised thorough consultations with policy experts and party leadership on these legislative priorities while reiterating his party's unequivocal support for defense funding in the coming parliamentary session. ◼
