Washington urges Taiwan lawmakers to pass special defense budget bill

Washington, March 8 (CNA) The United States government on Sunday called on Taiwanese lawmakers across party lines to pass a special defense budget bill that would finance Taiwan's planned purchases of American weapon systems for self-defense.

"We encourage all parties in Taiwan's legislature to work through political differences and quickly pass a special defense budget that demonstrates Taiwan's commitment to its self-defense by funding the acquisition of critical defense capabilities," an unnamed U.S. State Department spokesperson told CNA.

The spokesperson also reiterated that Washington supports "Taiwan's acquisition of critical defense capabilities, commensurate with the threat it faces," in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act, which has facilitated more than "45 years of commitment" across multiple administrations.

The State Department was responding to CNA's question on whether the U.S. would support a version of the special defense budget bill proposed by the opposition Kuomintang (KMT), if it is passed in Taiwan's Legislature.

Last week, the KMT proposed a special defense budget of NT$350 billion (US$11.04 billion) to fund eight weapons sales approved by the U.S. last December.

The proposal is a sizeable cut from the Cabinet's special defense budget bill of NT$1.25 trillion, which proposes to pay for not just the eight systems, but also potential U.S. arms sales that have not yet been approved, as well as future procurement of drones and T-Dome multilayered air defense systems from domestic manufacturers.

However, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's proposed NT$1.25 trillion bill has been stalled in the Legislature for months, as the opposition KMT and Taiwan People's Party (TPP) hold a combined majority.

The KMT and DPP versions of the special defense budget bill, along with a NT$400 billion proposal put forth by the TPP, advanced to the committee stage in the Legislature last Friday.