TPP open to special defense budgetPUSHBACK: The KMT’s Fu Kun-chi, speaking the same day 11 Chinese military aircraft were detected near Taiwan, said the Cabinet’s version of the budget would not passBy Chen Chih-cheng, Liu Wan-lin and Jake Chung / Staff reporters, with staff writerThe Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) does not oppose prioritizing the Executive Yuan’s proposed special defense budget alongside its own version for review after the Lunar New Year holiday, TPP caucus convener Chen Ching-lung (陳清龍) said yesterday. TPP deputy convener Wang An-hsiang (王安祥) said the party’s version of the special defense budget was still being worked on and it was “willing to make some adjustments,” should the details of US arms sales change. President William Lai (賴清德) urged the opposition to expedite reviews of the Executive Yuan’s special defense budget in the upcoming legislative session, warning that if the budget fails to pass, Washington might no longer consider Taiwan a priority for US arms provision. Taiwan’s defense budget must be passed smoothly. The president should explain how national defense procurement deals work, as in the past, wallpaper companies, toilet businesses and construction companies won national defense contracts, Fu said.

Source: Taipei Times February 11, 2026 17:12 UTC