TPP's special budget bill would hamper arms procurement: MND official

Taipei, Jan. 27 (CNA) A defense official warned Tuesday that if the Legislature insists on passing a budget plan proposed by the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) to buy American weapons systems, it would hamstring Taiwan's arms acquisition plans and have adverse consequences.

The TPP caucus, which has objected to the government's NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.72 billion) special defense budget proposal, proposed a special provision on Monday that would limit spending at NT$400 billion and included most of the major weapons systems already approved for sale to Taiwan by the United States.

The TPP's version of the bill also listed the maximum amount that could be spent on each item Taiwan wanted to acquire, unlike a list put out by the government, which did not show the cost of each weapons system covered by the special budget.

It lists 60 M109A7 self-propelled howitzers along with 4,080 rounds of precision munitions, with a spending cap of NT$126.7 billion, and 82 HIMARS multiple rocket missile systems, capped at NT$127.6 billion.

Also included are anti-armor loitering munition systems, capped at NT$34.7 billion, 70 Javelin anti-armor missile launchers and 1,050 missiles, capped at NT$11.8 billion, and 24 TOW 2B anti-armor missile launchers and 1,545 missiles, capped at NT$11.1 billion.

The U.S. items approved for sale to Taiwan but not included in the TPP bill were tactical mission network software, priced at US$1.01 billion, AH-1W helicopter parts, priced at US$96 million, and harpoon missile support, priced at US$91.4 million.

The government's special budget also covered the purchase of 200,000 drones and the development of a T-Dome system aimed at protecting Taiwan from enemy missiles.

Lt. Gen. Huang Wen-chi (黃文啟), head of the Ministry of National Defense's (MND) Department of Strategic Planning, warned that the TPP bill would be hard to implement, citing the lack of matching funds for local companies to build maintenance and logistics facilities for the weapons, such as bunkers and vehicle shelters for the HIMARS system.

"If weapons are purchased without proper facilities to store and maintain them, they could be damaged," Huang said.

Asked about the potential impact of an opposition-backed special budget provision, Huang said he was not in a position to comment, but stressed that the MND's proposals are based on threat assessments and force adjustments.

Huang also expressed concern that the current stalemate in the Legislature regarding the arms procurement plans could cause Taiwan to miss the window to purchase the weapons.

The U.S. has elevated Taiwan's foreign military sales status to "quasi-NATO member," which means its window to respond to a letter of acceptance (LOA) has been shortened from 45 days to 30 days after the Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress on Dec. 17, he said.

If the Cabinet's special defense budget proposal keeps languishing in the Legislature and the MND cannot sign the LOA, the arms sales package could be derailed, Huang said.

Opposition lawmakers have blocked the review of the Cabinet's special defense budget since President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) announced it on Nov. 26.

They have demanded that Lai first brief the Legislature on the spending plan and take lawmakers' questions before reviewing the measure, a request that Lai has rejected.