Regarding deliberations on the draft Defense Special Budget Act, KMT Culture and Communications Committee Chair Wu Tsung-Hsien, Deputy Chair Yin Nai-Ching, and party spokesperson Niu Hsu-Ting held a press conference today to further explain the party’s position.
KMT has always been supporting arms procurement from the United States. Any Defense Special Budget must meet three principles: it must align with Taiwan’s real operational needs, complete the armed forces’ formal planning and approval procedures, and receive formal U.S. approval through an official LOA.
We also believe government-to-government FMS should be prioritized for transparency and stability, while DCS and domestic projects must be subject to strict scrutiny and, where appropriate, handled through the regular annual budget process.
Bundling FMS arms sales together with commercial and domestic items into a single package will dilute legislative oversight, risk wasteful spending and reduced accountability. We will support eligible FMS items in stages as LOAs are issued, while insisting on a clearly defined overall spending cap and rejecting any “blank check.”
We will continue working to ensure effective defense cooperation with the United States and responsible oversight on behalf of the public.