Lai vows alternative funding after legislature cuts Taiwan’s budget

Lai Criticises Defence Budget Cuts

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te visited troops at the Air Force Command Headquarters in Kaohsiung on Friday, where he spoke on cuts to the special defence budget, which he says has “undermined Taiwan’s defence self-reliance goals.”

“The version of the special defence budget passed at its third reading by the Legislative Yuan has left these production lines without the necessary funding, greatly undermining our defence self-reliance goals. Many critical and important military procurement budget items have been removed by the Legislative Yuan without justification, creating gaps in our air defence architecture,” he said during an address at the base.

Taiwan’s legislature has passed an NT$8.81 billion special defence budget funded through government borrowing.

The vote comes just days before a reported payment deadline for US High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), which anchor the package alongside self-propelled howitzers, anti-armour drones, and two types of anti-tank missiles.

However, the final bill includes deep cuts that heavily impact domestic production.

Government Seeks Alternative Funding

To address these vulnerabilities, Lai announced that his administration will pursue supplementary budgets, regular annual budget increases, or dedicated special legislation to secure key areas such as air defence and unmanned vehicles.

“We will sustain international cooperation, promote defence industry self-reliance, build an intelligent and sustainable national defence capability, and ensure the peace, stability, and status quo of the Taiwan Strait,” Lai emphasised.

Cross-Strait Tensions Continue to Rise

This fiscal friction coincides with mounting geopolitical pressures across the Strait.

Chinese President Xi Jinping recently issued a direct warning to US President Donald Trump, explicitly stating that the Taiwan question carries a severe risk of direct conflict between the United States and China if not managed with ‘extreme care’.

Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has vowed to defend its democratic way of life, turning these budgetary struggles into a critical test of the island’s long-term survival strategy.

Article by Viory