Kaohsiung: The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) rejected a proposal from the opposition Taiwan People's Party (TPP) that could have secured the passage of the government's annual budget and special defense spending in exchange for backing a bill to legalize surrogacy, former TPP Chairman Ko Wen-je stated Sunday.
According to Focus Taiwan, Ko revealed at a forum that he had approached DPP legislative caucus convener Ker Chien-ming with the offer, emphasizing that surrogacy should not be an ideological issue and could transcend Taiwan's political divisions. The proposed agreement would have led the TPP to support the government's 2026 annual budget and its NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.8 billion) defense budget, both currently stalled in the Legislature. Ko did not specify when the offer was made but mentioned it could have facilitated a compromise allowing both parties to prioritize their agendas and alleviate the legislative impasse.
Taiwan's Legislature is actively considering amendments to the Assisted Reproduction Act to address the nation's declining birth rate. In December, the DPP Cabinet suggested an amendment permitting single women and married lesbian couples to access assisted reproductive technologies, currently restricted to infertile heterosexual couples. The DPP maintains that surrogacy should be handled separately due to its contentious nature. Meanwhile, TPP lawmaker Chen Gao-tzu has proposed a broader amendment to legalize surrogacy for all aspiring parents, irrespective of marital status, gender, or sexual orientation. Various proposals from the KMT legislative caucus and lawmakers also seek to regulate surrogacy, with limited inclusivity for same-sex married couples.
Responding to Ko's comments, DPP Legislator Chen Pei-yu criticized the TPP's proposal, accusing them on Facebook of treating public safety as a "political bargaining chip." Chen emphasized that changes to the Assisted Reproduction Act should be evaluated based on the bill's content and support measures rather than political negotiations. Regarding Taiwan's defense budget, Chen urged the opposition to scrutinize the government's proposal and justify any desired cuts instead of blocking the entire bill.