An AIT spokesperson made the remark in response to media inquiries about Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang’s (黃國昌) comments in an interview with the United Daily News on Tuesday. Photo: Tien Yu-hua, Taipei TimesThe opposition has repeatedly blocked the Executive Yuan’s eight-year special defense budget. The US Department of State has said multiple times that it welcomes the NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.59 billion) special defense budget, the AIT said yesterday. Cutting their defense budget undermines investments in essential weapons systems as China’s threats are intensifying. The opposition’s claims that the defense budget is opaque have no basis, he said.

Source: Taipei Times February 04, 2026 17:14 UTC