Taiwan could be defense breach if special budget not passed: Defense chief

Taipei, Feb. 11 (CNA) Taiwan could become a "breach" in the Indo-Pacific region's collective defense against China's military expansion if the opposition-controlled Legislature fails to pass a proposed special defense budget, Defense Minister Wellington Koo (顧立雄) warned Wednesday.

Koo said the proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.6 billion) special budget is intended to fund weapons purchases and joint production programs with the United States to strengthen Taiwan's air defense, anti-armor, drone and C5ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) capabilities.

The U.S. has already approved some of the systems Taiwan plans to acquire under the budget, Koo said, adding that the new capabilities are critical to Taiwan's asymmetric defense and overall resilience.

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"The nation's defense capabilities will be significantly weakened if the budget fails to pass," Koo said.

Koo also warned that failure to approve the budget would signal to Washington that Taiwan's efforts to enhance its self-defense lack public support.

"Taiwan cannot become a breach in the collective defense efforts [against China] in the Indo-Pacific region," he said at a press event.

Speaking at the same event, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said the 2025 U.S. National Security Strategy, released in December, emphasized homeland defense and called on Indo-Pacific allies to shoulder greater responsibility for their own security.

Japan has earmarked about US$58 billion and South Korea US$47.7 billion for defense spending in fiscal year 2026, Lai said, compared with Taiwan's proposed defense budget of US$26 billion.

The NT$1.25 trillion special budget would be spent over eight years, from 2026 to 2033, on major weapons purchases and joint development programs with the U.S.

"Passage of the defense budget will be a key indicator that Taiwan is determined to strengthen its self-defense," Lai said.

Lai and Koo made their remarks after legislation authorizing the special budget failed to pass during the previous legislative session, which ended in January, months after the bill was submitted to the opposition-controlled Legislative Yuan in late 2025.

The new session began in February, and both officials said they hoped the bill would be reviewed and passed when lawmakers resume work following the Lunar New Year holiday.

The opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People's Party (TPP) have blocked the bill from being placed on the legislative agenda, calling for Lai to brief lawmakers on the proposal first, a request the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government has said is unconstitutional.

The two parties have also urged the government to first implement a Legislative Yuan-approved NT$30,000 salary increase for military personnel.

In response, Lai said the DPP government has raised the salaries of military personnel, civil servants and public school teachers by up to 14 percent over the past decade, underscoring its commitment to improving conditions for service members.