Opposition again blocks special defense budgetBy Fion Khan / Staff writer, with CNAOpposition legislators today for the sixth time blocked a NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.8 billion) special defense budget bill from proceeding to the committee review stage. During today’s plenary session, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) caucuses voted down the proposal with a 59-50 vote. The Executive Yuan on Nov. 27 approved a special budget to bolster defense resilience and asymmetric capabilities by funding weapons procurement and joint development programs with the US from next year to 2033. As the plenary agenda remained undecided, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus secretary-general Chen Pei-yu (陳培瑜) and other lawmakers yesterday night queued outside the legislative chamber to formally submit their proposal to refer the special defense budget bill to committee review today. The opposition parties again, using their numerical advantage, successfully prevented the special defense act from being sent to committee for review.

Source: Taipei Times January 09, 2026 06:45 UTC