TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Opposition lawmakers used their majority to block a review of the Cabinet’s proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.7 billion) special defense budget for the 10th time this week.

Instead, they voted to refer a draft defense budget submitted by the Taiwan People’s Party to committee for review. The TPP’s proposed defense spending bill is less than half the size of the Cabinet’s, with a budget cap of NT$400 billion, reported CNA.

The Lai administration’s proposed defense budget has been repeatedly blocked by the TPP and KMT since it was proposed in late 2025. Despite classified briefings by the Ministry of Defense on individual spending items, opposition lawmakers argue the budget should include wage increases for military personnel.  

The Cabinet’s special defense budget was earlier blocked this week in the Procedure Committee. DPP lawmakers attempted to add a review of the bill to the legislative agenda on Friday afternoon, but were again voted down, per CNA.

By consistently refusing to review the bill, the KMT and TPP have effectively abandoned Lai’s budget, reported LTN. The Cabinet has criticized the impasse, saying it will delay the military’s arms procurement and training schedule. 

KMT Caucus Leader Fu Kun-chi (傅崐萁) said the party will consider its own amendments to the alternate defense spending bill submitted by the TPP. Fu said he hopes the Lai administration will also cooperate on the scaled-down spending bill, especially with respect to arms purchases from the US.

The TPP’s draft budget to safeguard national security and enhance Taiwan’s asymmetric warfare capability includes proposals for five major arms purchases. These include M109A7 self-propelled howitzers, HIMARS rocket launchers, Altius-700 drone-guided missiles, Javelin missile systems, and TOW-2B anti-tank missiles, per LTN.