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After the Legislative Yuan passed a “reduced version” of the defense budget bill, President Lai Ching-te revealed on Wednesday that the government will “remedy the situation” by proposing another special act, and will push forward arms procurement, international cooperation, and the independent development of the national defense industry through supplementary budgets and increasing the annual budget.
Lai Ching-te made these remarks Wednesday morning at the Presidential Office in a speech marking his second anniversary in office, accompanied by Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, Presidential Office Secretary-General Pan Men-an, and National Security Council Secretary-General Wu Jao-hsieh.
Lai Ching-te said that over the past two years, the government has continuously advanced defense reforms, strengthened asymmetric warfare capabilities, improved resilience in national defense preparedness, and established a more comprehensive homeland security network. He emphasized that defense reform is not just about updating weaponry, but also includes comprehensive strengthening of manpower, training, logistics, systems, and societal support networks.
He said that Taiwan is increasing investment in national defense because the threats faced are more severe than in the past: “It is not to provoke, but to prevent war; we are strengthening our self-defense not to escalate conflict, but to protect our people.” He also pointed out that Taiwan’s cooperation with like-minded countries is not to confront any side, but to safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region.
Lai Ching-te noted that the Legislative Yuan's failure to fully pass the special defense budget bill will undoubtedly have a serious impact on the current state of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Therefore, the government will propose another special act, and through supplementary budgets and increasing the annual budget, proceed with arms procurement, commissioning and international cooperation, while also advancing the independent production of defense industry to produce unmanned vehicles for the land, sea, and air, and establishing intelligent and sustainable national defense capabilities.
He said, “Taiwan absolutely must become a country capable of protecting itself and safeguarding peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.” This is not only his promise to the people of Taiwan, but also the determination that Taiwan should show to the international community.
On May 8, Taiwan's Legislative Yuan, led by the opposition parties, passed a NT$780 billion (about RM97.9 billion) special national defense budget bill, approving only about two-thirds of the original proposal by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government and limiting the scope to US arms purchases, excluding commercial procurement and commissions to manufacture in Taiwan. A senior US official subsequently stated that the United States was disappointed with the final defense expenditure level passed by Taiwan, as it was lower than what Washington deemed necessary.