Good Morning World: US Urges Taiwan to Pass Special Defense Budget Promptly, Warns of Inability to Deter Threats Otherwise
The US is urging Taiwan to promptly pass its special defense budget to deter threats, with former US Navy admirals warning that failure to do so before the upcoming Trump-Xi summit could lead to significant challenges for Taiwan.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 2, 2026 at 08:56
- 🔍 Collected: May 2, 2026 at 09:01 (5 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 2, 2026 at 09:14 (12 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
US President Trump is expected to visit Beijing in mid-May to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Retired US Navy Rear Admiral Montgomery stated that Taiwan is a model ally of the United States, and he called on all political parties in Taiwan to pass the special defense budget before the Trump-Xi summit scheduled for mid-May, otherwise, it would be unable to deter China. Former US Navy Rear Admiral Studeman pointed out that tyranny is imminent, and Taiwan's leaders have a plan to defend Taiwan. He hopes that KMT leaders can realize that they need to stand with Taiwan, not Beijing, and push for the passage of the special defense budget to put Taiwan in a more favorable position. Lien Hsien-ming, President of the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research, stated that US think tank scholars recently visited various places, and many legislators privately expressed support for the special defense budget, but in reality, it faces many difficulties. US think tank scholars estimate that if this issue cannot be resolved before the Trump-Xi summit, Taiwan may face big trouble. (Read full report)
A murder case occurred in Tainan's West Central District on April 29, where an 84-year-old woman surnamed Yeh attacked and killed her 92-year-old sister with a knife. Police investigation revealed that the sisters lived together, and the older sister, bedridden, wished to die. The younger sister reported herself after the act, and the case was transferred, with the Tainan District Court approving her detention. The Tainan City Health Bureau stated that the unmarried sisters lived together and supported each other, representing a typical "elderly caring for elderly" situation. The Health Bureau had visited their home on the afternoon of April 28, but the tragedy occurred hours later. The Ministry of Health and Welfare stated that it will supervise local governments to strengthen system connections, promote the 1966 long-term care hotline, identify potential high-risk cases through preliminary screening, and connect long-term care 3.0 with the social safety net, hoping to alleviate burdens through multiple channels and prevent similar tragedies. (Read full report)
May 2nd is the second day of the Labor Day holiday. The Central Weather Administration stated that from May 2nd to the daytime of May 3rd, most areas will be cloudy to sunny, with high temperatures of 31 to 33 degrees Celsius in the western half. From the evening of May 3rd to May 4th, a front will pass and the northeast monsoon will strengthen, bringing chances of rain to various areas, with central and northern regions needing to beware of localized heavy rainfall. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications' Freeway Bureau estimates that the national highway traffic volume on May 2nd will be 107 million vehicle-kilometers, 1.2 times the average weekday annual volume, and listed 18 predicted congested sections, with the northbound National Freeway 5 from Yilan to Pinglin possibly congested from 1 PM until late night. (Read full report)
The Labor Day parade took place on May 1st. The May 1st Action Alliance, composed of multiple labor unions, held labor parades in Taipei and Kaohsiung this year. This year, labor groups focused on pension system reform, including doubling the employer's contribution rate for the new labor pension system to 12% and abolishing the cap on the old labor pension system's base. Taiwanese teachers participated in the May 1st parade for the first time this year with the general public. The National Federation of Teachers' Unions advocated for full allocation of public and private teacher pension funds and the return of seniority compensation. The National Teachers' Association also proposed legislating salary and benefits and abolishing school affairs meetings. President Lai Ching-te posted on Facebook, stating that laborers are the most important force driving Taiwan forward, and the government has continuously improved labor conditions in recent years. This year, the minimum wage has been raised for the 10th consecutive year, benefiting over 2.47 million people. (Read full report)
May is tax filing month. As of 5 PM on the first day of filing, the number of national filings has exceeded 334,000, with mobile tax filing accounting for over 242,000 cases, or 72%, showing that mobile tax filing has become mainstream. This year, the personal income tax exemption is the same as the previous year, but there are four major changes, including an increase in the basic living expense deduction and a special deduction for long-term care. According to calculations by the Ministry of Finance, a single fresh graduate renting and living alone with an annual income below NT$626,000 can be exempt from tax; a dual-income family renting and living alone with an annual income below NT$1,072,000 can be exempt from tax; and a family of four renting and living alone with two children under six and an annual income below NT$1,641,000 can be exempt from tax. (Read full report)
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake occurred at 8:39 PM on May 1st in the eastern waters of Taiwan, with a depth of 98.3 kilometers. The maximum intensity was 4 in Yilan County, Hsinchu County, Nantou County, and Hualien County. The Central Weather Administration stated that this was the largest earthquake observed this year and an independent event, but warned of possible aftershocks of magnitude 5 to 5.5 within the next three days. (Read full report)
The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's Ground Component Command will conduct troop deployment and material transport training in the Nansei Islands, including the Ryukyu Islands, from May 17th to 22nd. This exercise will mainly take place on Ishigaki Island, Yonaguni Island, and Miyako Island. This is the first time the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's Ground Component Command will focus its training on Japan's southwestern islands adjacent to Taiwan and conduct command and control exercises with the US Marine Corps. (Read full report)
After the Zambian government unilaterally announced the postponement of this year's Global Digital Human Rights Conference, the conference was essentially canceled. Human Rights Watch issued a press release on May 1st stating that a civil society activist involved in the preparatory committee for the 14th RightsCon told Human Rights Watch that the conference was postponed because the Chinese government expressed dissatisfaction with the invitation of Taiwanese participants to the Zambian authorities. Local media also reported that Zambian authorities were uneasy about "Taiwanese representatives possibly speaking critically of China in a venue built with Chinese government donations." (Read full report)
According to the 1973 War Powers Act, the President must notify Congress within 48 hours of taking military action and withdraw US troops within 60 days unless Congress declares war or authorizes the use of force. This 60-day period expired at the end of April, but according to the Wall Street Journal, the Trump administration argued that the US-Iran ceasefire had "stopped the clock" on congressional authorization for the US-Iran war, drawing backlash from Democrats and questions from some Republican lawmakers. In addition, Iran stated that if the US attacks again and reasserts its claims over the Strait of Hormuz, Iran will launch "long and painful retaliatory strikes" against US strongholds, further complicating US plans to build a coalition to reopen this vital waterway. (Read full report)
US President Trump is expected to visit Beijing in mid-May to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Retired US Navy Rear Admiral Montgomery stated that Taiwan is a model ally of the United States, and he called on all political parties in Taiwan to pass the special defense budget before the Trump-Xi summit scheduled for mid-May, otherwise, it would be unable to deter China. Former US Navy Rear Admiral Studeman pointed out that tyranny is imminent, and Taiwan's leaders have a plan to defend Taiwan. He hopes that KMT leaders can realize that they need to stand with Taiwan, not Beijing, and push for the passage of the special defense budget to put Taiwan in a more favorable position. Lien Hsien-ming, President of the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research, stated that US think tank scholars recently visited various places, and many legislators privately expressed support for the special defense budget, but in reality, it faces many difficulties. US think tank scholars estimate that if this issue cannot be resolved before the Trump-Xi summit, Taiwan may face big trouble. (Read full report)
A murder case occurred in Tainan's West Central District on April 29, where an 84-year-old woman surnamed Yeh attacked and killed her 92-year-old sister with a knife. Police investigation revealed that the sisters lived together, and the older sister, bedridden, wished to die. The younger sister reported herself after the act, and the case was transferred, with the Tainan District Court approving her detention. The Tainan City Health Bureau stated that the unmarried sisters lived together and supported each other, representing a typical "elderly caring for elderly" situation. The Health Bureau had visited their home on the afternoon of April 28, but the tragedy occurred hours later. The Ministry of Health and Welfare stated that it will supervise local governments to strengthen system connections, promote the 1966 long-term care hotline, identify potential high-risk cases through preliminary screening, and connect long-term care 3.0 with the social safety net, hoping to alleviate burdens through multiple channels and prevent similar tragedies. (Read full report)
May 2nd is the second day of the Labor Day holiday. The Central Weather Administration stated that from May 2nd to the daytime of May 3rd, most areas will be cloudy to sunny, with high temperatures of 31 to 33 degrees Celsius in the western half. From the evening of May 3rd to May 4th, a front will pass and the northeast monsoon will strengthen, bringing chances of rain to various areas, with central and northern regions needing to beware of localized heavy rainfall. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications' Freeway Bureau estimates that the national highway traffic volume on May 2nd will be 107 million vehicle-kilometers, 1.2 times the average weekday annual volume, and listed 18 predicted congested sections, with the northbound National Freeway 5 from Yilan to Pinglin possibly congested from 1 PM until late night. (Read full report)
The Labor Day parade took place on May 1st. The May 1st Action Alliance, composed of multiple labor unions, held labor parades in Taipei and Kaohsiung this year. This year, labor groups focused on pension system reform, including doubling the employer's contribution rate for the new labor pension system to 12% and abolishing the cap on the old labor pension system's base. Taiwanese teachers participated in the May 1st parade for the first time this year with the general public. The National Federation of Teachers' Unions advocated for full allocation of public and private teacher pension funds and the return of seniority compensation. The National Teachers' Association also proposed legislating salary and benefits and abolishing school affairs meetings. President Lai Ching-te posted on Facebook, stating that laborers are the most important force driving Taiwan forward, and the government has continuously improved labor conditions in recent years. This year, the minimum wage has been raised for the 10th consecutive year, benefiting over 2.47 million people. (Read full report)
May is tax filing month. As of 5 PM on the first day of filing, the number of national filings has exceeded 334,000, with mobile tax filing accounting for over 242,000 cases, or 72%, showing that mobile tax filing has become mainstream. This year, the personal income tax exemption is the same as the previous year, but there are four major changes, including an increase in the basic living expense deduction and a special deduction for long-term care. According to calculations by the Ministry of Finance, a single fresh graduate renting and living alone with an annual income below NT$626,000 can be exempt from tax; a dual-income family renting and living alone with an annual income below NT$1,072,000 can be exempt from tax; and a family of four renting and living alone with two children under six and an annual income below NT$1,641,000 can be exempt from tax. (Read full report)
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake occurred at 8:39 PM on May 1st in the eastern waters of Taiwan, with a depth of 98.3 kilometers. The maximum intensity was 4 in Yilan County, Hsinchu County, Nantou County, and Hualien County. The Central Weather Administration stated that this was the largest earthquake observed this year and an independent event, but warned of possible aftershocks of magnitude 5 to 5.5 within the next three days. (Read full report)
The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's Ground Component Command will conduct troop deployment and material transport training in the Nansei Islands, including the Ryukyu Islands, from May 17th to 22nd. This exercise will mainly take place on Ishigaki Island, Yonaguni Island, and Miyako Island. This is the first time the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's Ground Component Command will focus its training on Japan's southwestern islands adjacent to Taiwan and conduct command and control exercises with the US Marine Corps. (Read full report)
After the Zambian government unilaterally announced the postponement of this year's Global Digital Human Rights Conference, the conference was essentially canceled. Human Rights Watch issued a press release on May 1st stating that a civil society activist involved in the preparatory committee for the 14th RightsCon told Human Rights Watch that the conference was postponed because the Chinese government expressed dissatisfaction with the invitation of Taiwanese participants to the Zambian authorities. Local media also reported that Zambian authorities were uneasy about "Taiwanese representatives possibly speaking critically of China in a venue built with Chinese government donations." (Read full report)
According to the 1973 War Powers Act, the President must notify Congress within 48 hours of taking military action and withdraw US troops within 60 days unless Congress declares war or authorizes the use of force. This 60-day period expired at the end of April, but according to the Wall Street Journal, the Trump administration argued that the US-Iran ceasefire had "stopped the clock" on congressional authorization for the US-Iran war, drawing backlash from Democrats and questions from some Republican lawmakers. In addition, Iran stated that if the US attacks again and reasserts its claims over the Strait of Hormuz, Iran will launch "long and painful retaliatory strikes" against US strongholds, further complicating US plans to build a coalition to reopen this vital waterway. (Read full report)