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Lawrence Chung

Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-tai has called for a rollback of “irrational” freezes on the 2025 defence budget, warning of a serious impact on the island’s security.
He also accused the opposition of “prioritising partisan interests”.
Taiwan’s opposition-dominated legislature last week approved a total government budget of NT$2.9 trillion (US$88.2 billion) for the year ahead – a record NT$207.5 billion or nearly 7 per cent less than the originally proposed amount.
A coalition of the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party also froze a record NT$160.7 billion in government expenditure.
In the defence budget, the coalition cut NT$8.4 billion from the proposed NT$647 billion. They also froze NT$90 billion in military expenses, including NT$74.4 billion in operational costs.
Cho, who belongs to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), said the operational expenses freeze was “absolutely irrational”.
Opposition lawmakers were putting partisan matters over Taiwan’s security, he alleged on an online talk show that aired on Sunday night. The frozen funds are crucial for fuel replenishment, logistical supplies, overseas travel and training, he added.

“We need to send our pilots and personnel abroad to acquire advanced military knowledge, receive specialised training, and attend international forums,” Cho said, emphasising that withholding such funds would harm Taiwan’s defence preparedness.
Cho also said that his cabinet would request the legislature to reconsider the overall budget cuts and freezes on February 3 – the first working day after the Lunar New Year holiday.
“Resolving the NT$74.4 billion in frozen [operational] funds is a top priority,” he said.
Cho’s comments on Sunday echoed those he made at a press conference last week, when he warned that the budget moves would severely impact Taiwan’s combat readiness and military modernisation.
The defence budget cut and NT$90 billion freeze, particularly relating to operational expenses, could “delay modernisation efforts, compromise the safety of service members, and weaken operational readiness”, he had warned last Wednesday.
The cuts are viewed as particularly alarming in the face of growing military pressure from Beijing. DPP lawmakers have also pointed to potential challenges posed by US President Donald Trump, who said on the campaign trail that Taiwan was not doing enough for its defence and needed to allocate 10 per cent of its GDP to the military budget.


Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary. The United States, like most countries, does not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but it is opposed to any attempt to take the self-governed island by force and committed to arming it for defence.
KMT legislators defending the NT$8.4 billion cut argued that it targeted “excessive and wasteful” military spending. They also downplayed concerns over the frozen funds.
“Freezing funds is not equivalent to cutting them. As long as the defence ministry submits concrete reports and plans to the legislature, the funds can be unfrozen and utilised without any impact,” KMT legislator Lee Yen-hsiu said.
Lee also voiced support for Taiwan’s procurement of advanced defensive weapons from the US, emphasising that such purchases were funded through “special budgets” that were largely separate from the annual budget.


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Politics

Premier Cho Jung-tai criticises Taiwan’s opposition-led legislature over defence budget cuts and NT$90 billion military costs freeze


Premier Cho Jung-tai criticises Taiwan’s opposition-led legislature over defence budget cuts and NT$90 billion military costs freeze.
