TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) has scheduled the next negotiation session on the special defense budget bill for May 6 at 3 p.m.

Monday’s negotiations came to a standstill after legislators failed to find common ground on the bill. The DPP, KMT, and TPP exchanged views on the procurement items listed in the draft bill, but opinions remained divided, per CNA.

Defense Minister Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said the Cabinet’s version outlines seven specific categories of items and associated costs. The proposed NT$1.25 trillion budget (US$40 billion) is based on these requirements, Koo said, according to CNA.

KMT Legislator Hsu Chiao-hsin (徐巧芯) suggested skipping the procurement list and discussing the total budget ceiling first. DPP caucus convener Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) said he did not object to setting the limit first, expressing hope that it would align with the defense ministry’s expectations.

Hsu said the KMT supports reasonable military buildup, but believes the defense ministry’s proposal should be broken up for a more pragmatic approach. She suggested prioritizing the most urgent military sales. Based on her calculations, she estimated that basic support for all military sales would amount to about NT$800 billion.

TPP caucus convener Chen Ching-lung (陳清龍) said that while the party supports military procurement, its original proposed ceiling was NT$400 billion. However, he said the caucus had repeatedly expressed willingness to adjust the budget to include the second batch of military purchases if clear, public information about each item is provided.

During last week’s negotiations, the parties approved provisions governing budget execution. They agreed that special budgets must be audited in accordance with the law, and any reallocation by authorities will require legislative approval. They also agreed the act and its special budget will run from promulgation through Dec. 31, 2033.