TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said Friday that cuts to the special defense budget have delayed six planned ammunition production lines at the Armaments Bureau’s 205th Arsenal in Kaohsiung.

The president said the facility is a critical pillar of Taiwan’s defense capabilities during an inspection of the plant and the Air Force’s southern operations control center, per CNA. He said budget reductions have delayed force-building plans and may require special legislation.

Lai toured air defense command facilities before inspecting ammunition, explosives, and light weapons production lines at the Arsenal, per Liberty Times. He also presented bonuses to personnel in recognition of their work.

Lai said the plant’s output forms the foundation of the armed forces’ combat readiness. He added that quality production and automation are essential to safeguarding soldiers’ lives and strengthening overall military capability.

He added that the planned introduction of the T112 rifle underscores the need to expand production capacity and ensure timely equipment replacement for active-duty and reserve forces.

Lai said that funding cuts also affected air defense procurement, including systems for command and control and layered interception. The government, he said, will respond through supplementary budgets or increased annual spending to strengthen Taiwan’s defense resilience.