TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The TPP proposed Friday authorizing the Cabinet to sign arms sales agreements with the US covering three items included in US Letters of Offer and Acceptance (LOA).
Defense Minister Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said in February that the LOAs for three systems listed in the Cabinet’s proposed special defense budget could expire by March 15, per CNA. He urged the legislature to authorize the government to finalize the agreements before the deadline.
Koo warned that expiration of the offers could jeopardize Taiwan’s procurement of TOW anti-tank missiles, Javelin anti-tank missiles and M109A7 Paladin self-propelled howitzers.
TPP Legislative Caucus Deputy Convener Wang An-hsiang (王安祥) said the party would propose authorizing the government to sign the agreements before the LOAs expire, per Tai Sounds. He added that the government should provide a comprehensive briefing on the procurement timeline after the deals are signed.
Defense officials said Taiwan has asked the US to extend the LOAs but has not yet received a response, per Z.Media.
The defense ministry on Thursday reiterated that the Cabinet’s special defense budget proposal is the preferable option, per CNA. The ministry said the KMT’s approach of allocating funds only after receiving LOAs could slow the rapid buildup of Taiwan’s military.
The ministry said the Cabinet’s proposal underwent two years of internal evaluation and has received support from the US government and Congress. It also warned that specifying each procurement item in legislation could create complications if the US later requests adjustments.
Koo previously said existing procurement plans with the US had already involved a year of discussions with the US. Under the US Foreign Military Sales program, LOAs are issued only after extensive assessments and congressional authorization, per Liberty Times.
Defense experts said requiring budget approval only after LOAs are issued could unnecessarily delay procurement, per Liberty Times.
The KMT has argued its insistence on LOAs is based on past arms procurement controversies, including the now-defunct TaiwanGoal corporation (鐽震) established during the administration of former President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), per UDN.
TaiwanGoal was created partly to address a gap in Taiwan’s ability to service some of its most advanced military equipment, per Business Today. However, the project drew criticism because the defense ministry provided about 45% of the capital without operational control, appointed a prominent DPP figure as chair and pushed forward the initiative in the final years of Chen’s presidency, per Liberty Times.
The plan was also tied to efforts to settle a previous procurement dispute with the French government by purchasing additional French weapons, prompting strong opposition and criticism. Then–Defense Minister Li Tien-yu (李天羽) ultimately resigned amid the controversy, per NOWNews.
Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), a researcher at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, criticized the opposition Friday for citing past scandals as justification for delaying procurement, noting that Transparency International ranks Taiwan as a low corruption risk in the defense sector.
