Taipei: Taiwan’s defense capabilities may become vulnerable in the Indo-Pacific region if the opposition-controlled Legislature does not approve a proposed special defense budget, Defense Minister Wellington Koo cautioned on Wednesday. The NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.6 billion) budget is critical for acquiring weapons and engaging in joint production programs with the United States to enhance Taiwan’s air defense, anti-armor, drone, and C5ISR capabilities.

According to Focus Taiwan, the U.S. has already approved some systems Taiwan aims to purchase under the budget, highlighting the importance of these new capabilities for Taiwan’s asymmetric defense and overall resilience. Despite pressure from Beijing on arms sales, the U.S. remains committed to Taiwan. Koo emphasized that failing to pass the budget would weaken the nation’s defense and indicate a lack of public support for Taiwan’s self-defense efforts to Washington.

Koo stressed that Taiwan must not become a weak link in the Indo-Pacific’s collective defens
e against China, underscoring the urgency at a press event. President Lai Ching-te, speaking at the same event, referenced the 2025 U.S. National Security Strategy, which calls for Indo-Pacific allies to take greater responsibility for their security. He noted that Japan and South Korea have allocated significantly larger defense budgets compared to Taiwan’s proposed defense spending.

The special budget, intended for major weapons purchases and joint U.S. development programs, would be allocated over eight years from 2026 to 2033. Lai remarked that passing the defense budget is crucial for demonstrating Taiwan’s commitment to strengthening its self-defense.

The urgency of this budget comes after it failed to pass in the previous legislative session ending in January, after being submitted in late 2025. The new session, which began in February, is expected to review the bill post-Lunar New Year holiday. The opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) have blocked the bill, demanding a briefin
g from Lai and prioritizing a previously approved NT$30,000 salary increase for military personnel.

In response, Lai highlighted the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government’s efforts over the past decade to raise salaries for military personnel, civil servants, and public school teachers by up to 14 percent, reaffirming its dedication to improving conditions for service members.