00:04Cross-party negotiations. That's the conclusion of a three-day legislative review of Taiwan's
00:10special defense budget that wrapped up Thursday. The three major parties failed to agree on key
00:16provisions such as what weapons to buy and the total budget amount. That's as Taiwan faces
00:21growing threats from China's expending military. Defense Minister Wellington Kuo continues to
00:27support the cabinet's $40 billion proposal, saying it is the only one to include funding for
00:33things like domestic drone production and AI systems. While the ruling Democratic Progressive
00:54Party insists on passing its version, the opposition continues to focus on delayed deliveries of U.S.
01:00weapons. The main opposition Kuomintang's version includes penalty clauses. Those say that if delivery
01:17timelines go beyond set targets, relevant officials could face investigation. The proposal by the
01:24smaller Taiwan People's Party focuses on tighter oversights, with all procurement items and costs
01:30listed in detail based on current offers from the U.S. government. The ruling DPP has pushed back on
01:36these provisions. But some say the deadlock may just be political posturing.
02:00As the budget review remains stuck, the Defense Ministry warns that an initial payment for a new batch of
02:07PIMAR's rocket systems comes due in four days. Missing the deadline could push the payment to the end of the
02:14year,
02:14as the U.S. has indicated little flexibility on late payment. So for now, the future of weapons like
02:21those rockets is up in the air. Fu Hua Hong and Alan Lu for Taiwan Plus.
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