KMT to propose own defense budget by deadline: spokesmanBy Kayleigh Madjar / Staff writer, with CNAThe Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) would submit its own draft of the special defense budget by Friday next week, when the legislature is set to deliberate different versions of the bill, KMT spokesman Niu Hsu-ting (牛煦庭) said today. Following cross-party negotiations yesterday, the legislature agreed to schedule a review of the government’s proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.94 billion) special defense budget alongside all other versions of the bill in the Foreign Affairs and National Defense and Finance committees. The Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) has submitted its own version that would allocate NT$400 billion for certain weapons systems, to be reviewed annually. Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei TimesThe KMT has previously said it would also propose a draft budget, but has not yet submitted one. Speaking on a radio program this morning, Niu said that the KMT would “certainly respond” to US expectations by reviewing the budget for arms purchases.

Source: Taipei Times February 25, 2026 07:07 UTC