Record-High Special Defense Budget Under Legislative Review Amid Disputes

TaiwanPlus News

The debate over Taiwan’s unprecedented special defense budget is ongoing, with opposition parties criticizing President Lai Ching-te's procurement timeline and asking for more details on how the funds will be spent.

Transcript

00:00Here in the legislature, a 40 billion U.S. dollar special defense budget is under review.

00:06Premier Zhu Rongtai is calling for support, saying strong defenses are essential to maintaining peace.

00:12But opposition parties are still strongly criticizing the plan.

00:16Taiwan's cabinet approved the proposed budget on Thursday, shortly after it was unveiled by President Lai Qingde.

00:22The defense ministry says the hike in spending comes as China ramps up military activity around Taiwan,

00:29which it claims as its territory.

00:32Defense Minister Wellington Gu says the budget will be spent on military equipment from abroad and domestic weapons production.

00:40The spending plan is meeting resistance.

00:57Taiwan's main opposition party, the Kuomintang, focused on the remark President Lai made during the rollout speech.

01:04Beijing 당gyi, in 2027,完成武統臺灣為目標,

01:10加速軍裂台灣的軍事整備,

01:13持續升高在台灣周邊的演習及飛帶侵擾。

01:17Opposition lawmakers question why, given this timeline,

01:21the proposed defense budget stretches all the way to 2033,

01:25if the threat is that imminent.

01:27如果今天我們總統府,我們相關的國安單位的確獲得了相關的情資,

01:34認為在2027年,中共會武力翻臺。

01:37那2026年,明年開始,是不是大家就要開始進入備戰狀態?

01:42The smaller opposition Taiwan People's Party called lie statements a fear-mongering tactic

01:48and questioned the U.S. track record of delayed arms deliveries.

01:52There are 2,000多億的買 66架的F-16V,

01:59請趕快送到台灣.

02:00到目前,一架都還沒有來.

02:02Although Taiwan is looking to purchase big-ticket items like American fighter jets,

02:11much of the budget will be spent on domestic industries,

02:14producing things like drones and missile defense.

02:17With the legislature set to review the budget,

02:19there are now calls for President Lai Jingde to appear before lawmakers

02:23and explain directly how the money will be used.

02:27Fu Huahong and NLU in Taipei for Taiwan Plus.

02:29Fu Huahong and NOLF-16V,

02:31portable

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