TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Cabinet Spokesperson Michelle Lee (李慧芝) said Wednesday that the Legislative Yuan is the appropriate venue for debating the 2026 budget, following Premier Cho Jung-tai’s (卓榮泰) challenge to the opposition amid a stalemate over budget deliberations.

Cho issued the challenge in response to the opposition’s attempt to review the 2026 budget proposal in a piecemeal manner, per Newtalk. He said the annual budget reflects President Lai Ching-te’s (賴清德) governing vision for the year and should not be delayed or split apart.

Opposition parties responded positively to the idea. TPP Chair Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) proposed holding a debate on what he described as legal issues surrounding the 2026 budget, suggesting it be broadcast by major television networks and livestreamed, per Liberty Times.

KMT Legislative Caucus Secretary-General Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) said any debate should focus on the legality, reasonableness, and legitimacy of the government’s budget proposal, per NOWNews. He proposed holding three debates: KMT caucus leader Fu Kun-chi (傅崐萁) versus Cho; Lo versus Vice Premier Cheng Li-chun (鄭麗君); and KMT Deputy Secretary-General Lin Pei-hsiang (林沛祥) versus Cabinet Secretary-General Xavier Chang (張惇涵). Lo called on the Cabinet to decide the time and venue as soon as possible.

Lee later reiterated that the legislature is the most open and appropriate platform for such discussions, urging the Legislative Yuan to begin formal review of the 2026 budget, per UDN. She said the budget should be sent to committees so the Cabinet can address concerns in detail.

DPP Legislative Caucus Director Chung Chia-pin (鍾佳濱) agreed, saying there was no need to hold debates elsewhere when the legislature already has the necessary mechanisms, per UDN. He urged the opposition to allow the budget review process to proceed so Cho could respond to questions on its merits.

Huang criticized Lee’s remarks, accusing Cho of retreating from a public debate after issuing the challenge, per NOWNews. He suggested that President Lai should debate the budget in Cho’s place.

Huang also proposed including the special defense budget in the debate, saying he would pledge support for it if follow-up polls show the public favors Lai’s arguments.