Legislature to review special defense budget next weekBy Fion Khan / Staff writer, with CNAThe Legislative Yuan is to send the Executive Yuan’s version of the special defense budget to its plenary session on Friday next week, after a cross-party consensus was reached today. The parties concluded that the Cabinet’s version is to be reviewed alongside the Taiwan People Party’s (TPP) version in the Foreign and National Defense and Finance committees. Other proposals should be proposed before Thursday next week, they added. President William Lai (賴清德) in November last year announced a NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.76 billion) special defense budget to be allocated over eight years, including arms purchases from the US. The special budget should incorporate items that safeguard national security and defense autonomy, drive local industrial growth and cater to the needs of the national defense industry, he said.

Source: Taipei Times February 24, 2026 10:44 UTC