Cho Jung-tai: Special Defense Budget to Construct Three Indispensable National Security Pillars
Taiwan's Premier Cho Jung-tai announced a special defense budget of NT$1.25 trillion to counter increasing threats from China, aiming to build three indispensable national security pillars: the "Shield of Taiwan," a "high-tech kill chain," and "indigenous industrial autonomy."
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 30, 2026 at 14:06
- 🔍 Collected: April 30, 2026 at 14:31 (25 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 30, 2026 at 15:49 (1h 17m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Reporters Yu Kai-hsiang, Lai Yu-chen, Taipei 30th) Premier Cho Jung-tai stated today that in response to increasing threats from the Chinese Communist Party, the government has allocated a special defense budget of NT$1.25 trillion to procure modern and sophisticated equipment. Building the "Shield of Taiwan," a "high-tech kill chain," and "indigenous industrial autonomy" are the "three indispensable pillars" of national security, and he called for bipartisan support.
This morning, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of National Defense separately reported on the "Current Status and Promotion Results of the UAV Industry" and the "Implementation Plan for the Special Act for Strengthening Defense Resilience and Asymmetric Combat Capability Procurement" at the Executive Yuan meeting. Executive Yuan spokesperson Lee Hui-chih hosted the press conference after the meeting and relayed Premier Cho Jung-tai's remarks regarding the military procurement act.
Cho Jung-tai pointed out that the CCP's threats to Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific are intensifying, with an escalation in gray zone tactics and other forms of harassment. To safeguard national security and the lives and property of the people, after systematic and comprehensive planning, the government has allocated a special budget of NT$1.25 trillion between 2026 and 2033 to procure seven categories of modern and sophisticated equipment, including precision artillery, to enhance national defense capabilities. The special budget covers three pillars and seven categories.
The first pillar, Cho Jung-tai explained, is to procure various air defense, anti-ballistic missile, and drone countermeasure systems, such as the "Strong Bow," to complement existing Patriot and Tien Kung air defense systems. This will gradually build the "Shield of Taiwan," effectively defending airspace security and ensuring the protection of critical infrastructure.
The second pillar involves introducing high technology and artificial intelligence, acquiring AI-assisted decision-making systems to help the national army analyze intelligence and make decisions. Simultaneously, it will establish the Taiwan Tactical Network (TTN) and Team Awareness Kit (TAK) to connect various types of unmanned vehicles and sensors to create a common operating picture, support decision-making systems, and guide various precision artillery, long-range precision strike missiles, anti-armor missiles, and attack drones, forming various long-range, precise, mobile, and lethal asymmetric combat capabilities, thereby creating a high-tech kill chain.
The third pillar, Cho Jung-tai mentioned, is to strengthen the independent development of defense-related industries. Through Taiwan-US cooperation and the opportunity presented by the demand for defense drones, Taiwan aims to expand its domestic autonomous capacity in the shortest possible time, establish a non-red supply chain, promote the development of the defense industry, and stimulate economic momentum.
Cho Jung-tai emphasized that these three aspects constitute essential and indispensable components of security, and that "none can be missing." He called for joint support from across the political spectrum.
Additionally, Cho Jung-tai mentioned that through the special defense budget, Taiwan will build more resilient "precision artillery," "long-range precision strike missiles," "air defense, anti-ballistic, and anti-armor missiles," "unmanned vehicles and their countermeasure systems," "AI-assisted and C5ISR systems," and "Taiwan-US jointly developed and procured cooperative equipment." The ceiling of the special act budget and procurement items are still awaiting confirmation by the Legislative Yuan's fourth caucus negotiation on May 6.
Cho Jung-tai also instructed the Ministry of National Defense to actively communicate and explain to all political party caucuses to ensure that national security remains the top priority. (Editor: Wan Shu-chang) 1150430
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(Reporters Yu Kai-hsiang, Lai Yu-chen, Taipei 30th) Premier Cho Jung-tai stated today that in response to increasing threats from the Chinese Communist Party, the government has allocated a special defense budget of NT$1.25 trillion to procure modern and sophisticated equipment. Building the "Shield of Taiwan," a "high-tech kill chain," and "indigenous industrial autonomy" are the "three indispensable pillars" of national security, and he called for bipartisan support.
This morning, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of National Defense separately reported on the "Current Status and Promotion Results of the UAV Industry" and the "Implementation Plan for the Special Act for Strengthening Defense Resilience and Asymmetric Combat Capability Procurement" at the Executive Yuan meeting. Executive Yuan spokesperson Lee Hui-chih hosted the press conference after the meeting and relayed Premier Cho Jung-tai's remarks regarding the military procurement act.
Cho Jung-tai pointed out that the CCP's threats to Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific are intensifying, with an escalation in gray zone tactics and other forms of harassment. To safeguard national security and the lives and property of the people, after systematic and comprehensive planning, the government has allocated a special budget of NT$1.25 trillion between 2026 and 2033 to procure seven categories of modern and sophisticated equipment, including precision artillery, to enhance national defense capabilities. The special budget covers three pillars and seven categories.
The first pillar, Cho Jung-tai explained, is to procure various air defense, anti-ballistic missile, and drone countermeasure systems, such as the "Strong Bow," to complement existing Patriot and Tien Kung air defense systems. This will gradually build the "Shield of Taiwan," effectively defending airspace security and ensuring the protection of critical infrastructure.
The second pillar involves introducing high technology and artificial intelligence, acquiring AI-assisted decision-making systems to help the national army analyze intelligence and make decisions. Simultaneously, it will establish the Taiwan Tactical Network (TTN) and Team Awareness Kit (TAK) to connect various types of unmanned vehicles and sensors to create a common operating picture, support decision-making systems, and guide various precision artillery, long-range precision strike missiles, anti-armor missiles, and attack drones, forming various long-range, precise, mobile, and lethal asymmetric combat capabilities, thereby creating a high-tech kill chain.
The third pillar, Cho Jung-tai mentioned, is to strengthen the independent development of defense-related industries. Through Taiwan-US cooperation and the opportunity presented by the demand for defense drones, Taiwan aims to expand its domestic autonomous capacity in the shortest possible time, establish a non-red supply chain, promote the development of the defense industry, and stimulate economic momentum.
Cho Jung-tai emphasized that these three aspects constitute essential and indispensable components of security, and that "none can be missing." He called for joint support from across the political spectrum.
Additionally, Cho Jung-tai mentioned that through the special defense budget, Taiwan will build more resilient "precision artillery," "long-range precision strike missiles," "air defense, anti-ballistic, and anti-armor missiles," "unmanned vehicles and their countermeasure systems," "AI-assisted and C5ISR systems," and "Taiwan-US jointly developed and procured cooperative equipment." The ceiling of the special act budget and procurement items are still awaiting confirmation by the Legislative Yuan's fourth caucus negotiation on May 6.
Cho Jung-tai also instructed the Ministry of National Defense to actively communicate and explain to all political party caucuses to ensure that national security remains the top priority. (Editor: Wan Shu-chang) 1150430
Choose to stand with facts. Every sponsorship you make is a force for protecting press freedom.
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The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or used without authorization.