The opposition and ruling parties will confront each other over arms procurement today, as lawmakers have until Friday to make progress on the deal before the current legislative session ends.
A legislative showdown on the arms budget may be inevitable if both pan-blue and pan-green camps fail to reach a consensus over the issue before the legislature breaks for its winter recess.
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) is scheduled to call another round of cross-party negotiations today to discuss this year's government budget.
Today also marks the beginning of the second phase of cross-party talks over the government budget, where party negotiators will bargain over items that they could not agree on during the first phase of negotiations. This includes the long-delayed arms procurement budget.
The legislature's Committee of National Defense has proposed to erase NT$10.9 billion (US$338 million) of this year's regular budget that has been earmarked for the purchase of Patriot missile batteries.
Opposition lawmakers have also cut a proposed NT$272.62 million outlay prepared for the arms procurement package from the Ministry of National Defense's budget plan for this year, saying it is not necessary since the purchase of the package is not yet confirmed.
The original NT$480 billion special arms procurement bill sought to purchase three PAC-3 Patriot anti-missile batteries, 12 P-3C maritime-patrol aircraft and eight diesel-electric submarines from the US.
At the request of opposition parties, the Executive Yuan removed a NT$133 billion outlay that was originally earmarked for Patriot batteries over the next 15 years from the proposal, and included them in the defense ministry's annual budget instead, lowering the total amount of the special budget from NT$480 billion to around NT$350 million.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday that his caucus is not averse to putting the matter to a vote.
"The pan-blue camp may eventually get its wish, but we will also get to make clear our stance on the matter," Lai said.
Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) caucus whip Mark Ho (何敏豪) threw his backing behind Lai, saying that his caucus' support for the arms procurement package remains unchanged.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus whip Pan Wei-kang (潘維剛) yesterday called on all parties to respect the proposals made by the defense committee. As for whether the matter will lead to a showdown, Pan said that it would hinge on today's cross-party talks.
People First Party (PFP) caucus whip Hwang Yih-jiau (黃義交) reiterated that his caucus' position on the matter is clear. They will not support the plan unless the three items are paid for in the regular budget.
In addition to the arms budget, the legislative caucuses each have different bills and laws they would like to take care of before the session ends.
High on the DPP's agenda is a flood control bill, a bill pertaining to the structure of a labor pension fund supervisory board, amendments to the Public Officials Election and Recall Law (公職人員選舉罷免法), revisions to the Organic Law of the Executive Yuan (行政院組織法) and other revisions to government restructuring bills.
The TSU caucus said that they hope to see the party asset bill pass into law this legislative session so that the administration can legally tackle the KMT's dubiously gained party assets.
Other bills at the top of the TSU's agenda include a national loyalty bill and a technology protection bill.
The KMT has vowed to overhaul the Statute Governing the Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (兩岸人民關係條例) in a bid to attach a "direct transportation" clause to the legislation and strip the Mainland Affairs Council of part of its power.
Other priority bills for the KMT include amendments to the Public Officials Election and Recall Law, revisions to the Law Governing Legislators' Exercise of Power (立法院職權行使法) and modifications to the March 19 Shooting Truth Investigation Special Committee Statute (三一九槍擊事件真相調查特別委員會條例).
The PFP said that they hope to see amendments to the Law Governing Electronic Surveillance (通信監察法) pass this legislative session.
Other bills high on its agenda include the confirmation of the National Communications Committee (NCC) members and amendments to the Public Officials Election and Recall Law.
also see story:
Pan-blues try to sink sub proposal
BAIL APPEALS: The former vice premier was ordered to be held incommunicado despite twice being granted bail and paying a total of NT$12 million in bond The Taoyuan District Court yesterday ordered the detention of former vice premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦), who is being investigated for alleged corruption while serving as Taoyuan mayor from December 2014 to December 2022, and that he be held incommunicado. The court made the ruling during a bail hearing after prosecutors appealed its bail ruling twice. Cheng on Saturday was released after posting bail of NT$5 million (US$153,818). However, after prosecutors lodged an appeal, the High Court on Monday revoked the original ruling and ordered the Taoyuan District Court to hold another bail hearing. On Tuesday, the district court granted bail to Cheng a second
The Thai government on Friday announced that Taiwanese would be allowed to stay in the country for up to 60 days per entry, under the Southeast Asian country’s visa-free program starting from today. Taiwan is among 93 countries included in the Thai visa-waiver program, which has been expanded from 57 countries, with the visa-exempt entry extended from 30 to 60 days. After taking office last year, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has vowed to grant more visa waivers to foreign travelers as part of efforts to stimulate tourism. The expanded visa-waiver program was on Friday signed by Thai Minister of the Interior Anutin
PEACE AND SECURITY: China’s military ambitions present ‘the greatest strategic challenge to Japan and the world, Japan’s annual defense white paper said yesterday Japan yesterday warned that China risked escalating tensions with Taiwan with an increase in military exercises that appeared aimed in part at readying Beijing’s forces for a possible invasion. Japan’s annual assessment of security threats, including those posed by China, North Korea and Russia, comes as Taiwan closely monitors Chinese People’s Liberation Army air and sea exercises, including one with the Shandong aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean. The drills are the latest in a series including maneuvers in the Taiwan Strait last year that a senior US general said would be key to any invasion. “Because of that increase in military activity,
HAN KUANG: The exercises, which are to run from July 22 to 26, will feature unscripted war games and a decentralized command and control structure, military officers said The armed forces would for the first time test new rules of engagement (ROE) at this month’s annual Han Kuang exercises, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said yesterday. The exercises, which are to run from July 22 to 26, will feature unscripted war games, and a decentralized command and control structure, military officers told a news conference in Taipei. ROE cards would be issued to select combat troops to test their ability to function without tight control, they said. The most recent edition of the rules was published last year, they said. One of the cards’ two templates identifies enemy targets that soldiers