Legislature blocks special defense budget review despite U.S. pressure

Taipei, Jan. 23 (CNA) The Legislature on Friday blocked the review of a Cabinet-proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.6 billion) special defense budget, one day after American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Raymond Greene commented that "freedom is not free."

An agenda proposed by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus containing a special provision on the legal parameters of the budget was voted down by lawmakers from the Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People's Party (TPP), who hold a combined majority in the Legislature.

An alternative agenda proposed by the TPP was adopted instead. It marked the eighth time that the Legislature voted down a motion to review the special budget since President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) unveiled it in November.

At a speech he gave at Taiwan's government-funded Institute for National Defense and Security Research on Thursday, Greene invoked the adage when highlighting steps taken by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration to bolster Taiwan's defense posture.

"America can only help our friends as much as they help themselves," Greene said, in an apparent reference to the stalemate over the special budget.

Also on Friday, the Legislature voted in favor of a motion "advising" Lai to appear before it to deliver a state of the nation address on the special defense budget and arms procurement packages, as well as respond to lawmakers' consultations.

This would match Lai's campaign promise that "every president is obligated to deliver state of the nation addresses at the Legislature and respond to lawmakers' consultations," according to a motion jointly tabled by the two parties.

Opposition lawmakers have repeatedly stated that they will not vote to begin a review of the spending plans until Lai briefs the Legislature and responds to questions.

However, Lai has rejected this demand, citing an Oct. 2024 Constitutional Court ruling that declared an opposition-backed legal revision mandating the president provide real-time responses to lawmakers' questions unconstitutional.

Earlier in the day, when asked by reporters in Taipei to respond to Greene's remarks, Lai noted that the phrase "freedom is not free" is engraved on the Korean War Memorial in Washington D.C., saying it acted as a reminder that sacrifices are inevitable when crises arise.

Faced with threats posed by China, support for Taiwan's military is critical, and there is no better support than passing the special defense budget, Lai said.

The spending plan, if passed, will fund a US$11.1 billion arms sale package that includes M142 high mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS) and other advanced weapons systems, among other items from the United States.

"To do a job well, one must first have the right tools," Lai said, citing a Chinese proverb, urging opposition lawmakers to swiftly vote in favor of initiating proceedings to review it.

Responding to Greene's remarks, KMT caucus secretary-general Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) said his caucus still wants Lai to first brief the Legislature on the "largest-ever" special budget.

Meanwhile, TPP caucus convener Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) said he agreed with Greene's remarks, adding that this was precisely why Taiwan has committed significant resources to purchasing weapons from the U.S.

However, Huang also said that spending alone would not strengthen Taiwan's defense if the weapons ordered are not delivered.