TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Interior Minister Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) urged the KMT and TPP to confront the growing threats from China and prioritize national security over party interests, Nikkei Asia reported.

Liu emphasized the need for Taiwan to strengthen its military capabilities, warning that China issues daily military threats against Taiwan. In December, China conducted large-scale “Justice Mission 2025” drills and live-fire exercises near Taiwan, with some operations entering Taiwanese territorial waters.

In November, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said the government plans to allocate NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.5 billion) for a special military budget, pending Legislative Yuan approval. Earlier this month, the budget review was blocked for the 10th time by KMT and TPP lawmakers, who claimed the Cabinet’s procurement details were unclear.

Liu said the DPP needs to adjust its measures and communication in responding to the opposition’s actions to block the review. She urged lawmakers to back measures strengthening Taiwan’s military, countering opposition claims that increased defense spending is likely to provoke China.

KMT and TPP lawmakers, who hold a majority at the Legislative Yuan, have also repeatedly blocked this year’s budget review. Although the budget was submitted for review in August, it has not been scheduled for consideration.

Under Article 51 of the Budget Act, the annual budget must be approved by the Legislative Yuan at least one month before the start of the year and signed by the president at least 15 days before the year begins.

The opposition parties said the delay in reviewing the overall and special defense budgets aims to demand the Cabinet clearly outline how funds are used.

Additionally, Liu noted that some KMT officials have continued to expand exchanges with the Chinese government. On Tuesday, KMT and CCP representatives held a forum in Beijing.

At the event, KMT Policy Committee Deputy Director Yang Yung-ming (楊永明) emphasized the need to increase exchanges between the two sides as trade and tourism continue to grow. KMT Deputy Chair Hsiao Hsu-tsen (蕭旭岑) said the party will continue promoting bilateral exchanges and economic cooperation.

In response, Liu highlighted that China has repeatedly claimed Taiwan as its territory and intensified its military and political pressure on Taiwan. She added that most Taiwanese do not consider Taiwan to be part of China and condemn China’s military threats.

To combat rising fraud in Taiwan, the ministry has imposed a one-year ban on China’s RedNote app. The platform, which has over 3 million users in Taiwan, has been linked to more than 1,700 fraud cases since 2024, causing financial losses of over NT$240 million.

KMT Chair Cheng Li-wen (鄭麗文) criticized the app ban, calling it an infringement on freedom of speech and online use. Liu said the measure was taken under the Fraud Crime Hazard Prevention Act, noting the platform has failed to cooperate with fraud investigations, making it challenging for authorities to take action against those involved.

In March 2025, the ministry revoked the residency of Chinese national Liu Zhen-ya (劉振亞), marking the first time such a measure was taken. She had called on China to invade Taiwan on her Youtube channel to achieve unification. The ministry said the move is part of efforts to curb Chinese influence in Taiwan and barred her from applying for residency for the next five years.

Liu said that to further prevent Chinese influence in Taiwan, the ministry has pushed regulations requiring Chinese nationals to give up their Chinese citizenship before holding public office in Taiwan. In August, a former Hualien village chief, surnamed Teng (鄧), was removed from office for not following the rule.

On Tuesday, six new TPP legislators took office, including Lee Chen-hsiu (李貞秀), a spouse of Chinese nationality whose citizenship has sparked controversy. The ministry said it has notified Lee to renounce her Chinese nationality in accordance with Article 20 of the Nationality Act.

In response, Lee said that under the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, Chinese nationals who want to live in Taiwan or take part in politics only need to cancel their Chinese household registration — they are not required to give up their Chinese nationality. She added that the authorities in her hometown of Hunan Province rejected her application to cancel her Chinese nationality.

Liu emphasized that foreign nationals must give up their original citizenship before serving in government positions in Taiwan. However, KMT legislators are planning a bill that would exempt Chinese nationals from this requirement, Liu noted.