The delay in the approval of Taiwan’s budget this year threatens NT$78 billion (US$2.44 billion) for arms acquisitions, maintenance, and training, said a senior official from the Ministry of Defense on Thursday.
Defense spending is set to increase by 22.9% to reach NT$949.5 billion in 2026, as announced by President Lai Ching-te’s administration in August. Representing 3.32% of the GDP, this figure will surpass the 3% threshold for the first time since 2009, according to government data.
The government stated the need for increased spending to deter China, which claims sovereignty over the island and has escalated its military pressure, especially through war exercises. The United States has supported this budget increase.
However, the Parliament, dominated by the opposition, blocked the budget adoption along with a separate proposal for an additional NT$40 billion in military spending, stating that while they support the defense credit increase, they will not sign a “blank check.”
This delay means that the ministry will not be able to execute 21% of this year’s budget according to the original schedule, affecting NT$78 billion in expenses. This includes funding for programs like the American-made HIMARS Multiple Launch Rocket Systems and the acquisition of Javelin missiles, as mentioned by Mr. Yen.
The blockage will also impact ongoing training related to Lockheed Martin’s F-16 fighter jets, he added.
“In the face of the enemy threat, strengthening national defense capabilities cannot be delayed,” Mr. Yen said. “Any delay in the schedule will result in irreversible negative effects.”
U.S. President Donald Trump has reiterated his calls to allies to increase their defense spending – a call that the Lai administration has endorsed.
TAIWANESE MANEUVERS
Taiwan will conduct the “table-top” simulation phase of its annual Han Kuang military exercises from April 11 to 24, with the actual maneuvers likely to take place in July.
Tung Chi-hsing, head of the inter-service operations planning department at the Ministry, said during the same press conference that the table-top exercises would integrate “recent international military operations as major references.”
This includes not only American and Israeli operations against Iran but also American operations in Venezuela, referring to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by the U.S. military during a raid in January.
Taiwan’s lessons will focus on early warning and immediate response, drone combat, the use of multi-layered air defense, and anti-infiltration operations, detailed Mr. Tung.
China has never ruled out the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. Taiwan’s democratically elected government rejects China’s sovereignty claims, stating that only the people of the island can decide its future.
(1 USD = 31.9580 New Taiwan Dollars)
