TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Lawmakers voted on Monday to freeze half of the NT$2 billion (US$61 million) budget for Taiwan’s domestic submarine construction program, following the passage of a bill granting the legislature greater oversight of the project.

The new legislation stipulates that after the "Narwhal" submarine completes sea trials, the defense ministry must submit a comprehensive report to the legislature. Only after lawmakers approve the report can the remaining NT$1 billion in funding be released, according to CNA.

Of the 102 legislators present, 56 voted in favor of the bill, while 46 opposed it. The opposition Kuomintang (KMT), which initially sought to freeze NT$1.8 billion of the project’s budget, settled for NT$1 billion after negotiations with Taiwan People's Party lawmakers and government officials.

The KMT argued that the submarine program is excessively expensive, will take too long to complete, and lacks a clear justification from the Ministry of National Defense. In response, the Navy warned that freezing the budget could delay the construction of additional submarines and weaken Taiwan's overall military capabilities.