TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Opposition legislators blocked Taiwan's NT$1.25 trillion defense budget (around US$40 billion) Tuesday (Dec. 23) for the fourth consecutive time in the Legislative Yuan, Taiwan's parliament. The Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) and Taiwan People's Party (TPP, 民眾黨) united to halt the proposal in the Procedure Committee (程序委員會), preventing it from advancing to committee review. The blockage marks escalating tensions over defense spending amid cross-strait security concerns.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨), Taiwan's ruling party, spokesperson Han Ying (韓瑩) accused opposition legislators of ignoring basic legislative procedures Tuesday (Dec. 23). Han stated bills must pass the Procedure Committee (程序委員會) before advancing to committee review for thorough discussion. She blamed KMT Procedure Committee convener Weng Hsiao-ling (翁曉玲) for undermining Taiwan's collective defense will following Weng's recent trip to Xiamen, China.
Weng openly declared her intention to block the defense budget immediately after returning from Xiamen. Han revealed Weng admitted meeting with the Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO, 國台辦), China's agency handling Taiwan relations, during the trip and vowed to obstruct the budget. Han argued Weng used the ruling party's alleged lack of clarity on defense spending as justification, despite legislative rules requiring Procedure Committee approval first.
Han cited KMT Chairperson Cheng Li-wen's (鄭麗文) recent university speech claiming the party would not hinder military purchases. She noted KMT legislators publicly contradicted Cheng less than 24 hours later in the Legislative Yuan, Taiwan's parliament, by blocking the defense budget. Han questioned the KMT's resistance to strengthening Taiwan's defense capabilities and their secretive visits to China, urging party transparency and accountability. ◼ (At time of reporting, US$1 equals approximately NT$31.5)
