DPP Caucus: 70% of Public Supports NT$1.25 Trillion Defense Procurement, Urges KMT-TPP to Be Responsible to Public Opinion
Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislative Caucus urges the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People's Party (TPP) to respect public opinion, citing a poll indicating 70% public support for the NT$1.25 trillion defense budget. The DPP criticizes the opposition's attempts to cut items and demand Letters of Offer and Acceptance, warning that such actions could weaken national defense, especially against increasing pressure from China.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 7, 2026 at 14:23
- 🔍 Collected: May 7, 2026 at 14:31 (8 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 7, 2026 at 15:07 (35 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Lin Ching-yin, Taipei 7th) Cross-party negotiations on the special defense bill yesterday failed to reach a consensus, and the Legislative Yuan may vote on it as early as tomorrow. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislative Caucus today stated that media reports on an internal Kuomintang (KMT) poll show 70% of the public supports the Executive Yuan's version of an 8-year, NT$1.25 trillion defense strengthening plan, urging the KMT to be responsible to public opinion.
Legislative Yuan President Han Kuo-yu convened cross-party caucus negotiations on the special defense bill for the fourth time yesterday, but the caucuses still failed to reach a consensus on key articles such as procurement items and allocated amounts. Han Kuo-yu announced that since no consensus had been reached, the matter would be handled according to regulations. As the special defense bill has passed the one-month negotiation cooling-off period, according to the Legislative Yuan's internal rules, it may be processed as early as tomorrow.
DPP Caucus Secretary-General Fan Yun stated at a caucus press conference this morning that yesterday's negotiations showed that the KMT and Taiwan People's Party (TPP) continued to make arbitrary demands. Regardless of which version the KMT wanted, whether NT$380 billion, or NT$380 billion plus NT$420 billion, or the TPP's escalated version, there was no substantive version from the opposition, showing a complete lack of sincerity.
Fan Yun said that the opposition parties repeatedly insisted on having Letters of Offer and Acceptance (LOAs), but as Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo explained, LOAs are tantamount to blank authorizations, excluding commercial procurement and commissioned production. Furthermore, US-Taiwan cooperative research and development that helps strengthen national defense would not have LOAs, and drones, which have proven to be asymmetrical capabilities that allow the smaller side to contend with the larger side in the Middle East and Russia-Ukraine wars, would also be excluded. The opposition's insistence on this is very worrying.
Fan Yun stated that recent media reports indicated that the Beijing government hopes the KMT will not pass the arms procurement bill before the 'Trump-Xi meeting,' on one hand to suppress pro-US factions, and on the other hand to allow Chinese President Xi Jinping to demand that US President Trump not support strengthening Taiwan's defense during the meeting, forcing Taiwan into peace talks. If this rumor is true, it would be a great threat and misfortune for Taiwan.
DPP Caucus Deputy Secretary-General Wu Pei-yi mentioned that the first payment for the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system is due on May 31. She said that if the arms procurement bill is canceled or blocked, China would be the happiest. She stated that when more than 70% of the Taiwanese people across party lines support strengthening national defense, she hopes the opposition parties can hear the voice of the Taiwanese people instead of repeatedly speaking on behalf of China. (Editor: Su Lung-chi) 1150507
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(Central News Agency reporter Lin Ching-yin, Taipei 7th) Cross-party negotiations on the special defense bill yesterday failed to reach a consensus, and the Legislative Yuan may vote on it as early as tomorrow. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislative Caucus today stated that media reports on an internal Kuomintang (KMT) poll show 70% of the public supports the Executive Yuan's version of an 8-year, NT$1.25 trillion defense strengthening plan, urging the KMT to be responsible to public opinion.
Legislative Yuan President Han Kuo-yu convened cross-party caucus negotiations on the special defense bill for the fourth time yesterday, but the caucuses still failed to reach a consensus on key articles such as procurement items and allocated amounts. Han Kuo-yu announced that since no consensus had been reached, the matter would be handled according to regulations. As the special defense bill has passed the one-month negotiation cooling-off period, according to the Legislative Yuan's internal rules, it may be processed as early as tomorrow.
DPP Caucus Secretary-General Fan Yun stated at a caucus press conference this morning that yesterday's negotiations showed that the KMT and Taiwan People's Party (TPP) continued to make arbitrary demands. Regardless of which version the KMT wanted, whether NT$380 billion, or NT$380 billion plus NT$420 billion, or the TPP's escalated version, there was no substantive version from the opposition, showing a complete lack of sincerity.
Fan Yun said that the opposition parties repeatedly insisted on having Letters of Offer and Acceptance (LOAs), but as Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo explained, LOAs are tantamount to blank authorizations, excluding commercial procurement and commissioned production. Furthermore, US-Taiwan cooperative research and development that helps strengthen national defense would not have LOAs, and drones, which have proven to be asymmetrical capabilities that allow the smaller side to contend with the larger side in the Middle East and Russia-Ukraine wars, would also be excluded. The opposition's insistence on this is very worrying.
Fan Yun stated that recent media reports indicated that the Beijing government hopes the KMT will not pass the arms procurement bill before the 'Trump-Xi meeting,' on one hand to suppress pro-US factions, and on the other hand to allow Chinese President Xi Jinping to demand that US President Trump not support strengthening Taiwan's defense during the meeting, forcing Taiwan into peace talks. If this rumor is true, it would be a great threat and misfortune for Taiwan.
DPP Caucus Deputy Secretary-General Wu Pei-yi mentioned that the first payment for the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system is due on May 31. She said that if the arms procurement bill is canceled or blocked, China would be the happiest. She stated that when more than 70% of the Taiwanese people across party lines support strengthening national defense, she hopes the opposition parties can hear the voice of the Taiwanese people instead of repeatedly speaking on behalf of China. (Editor: Su Lung-chi) 1150507
Choose to stand with facts. Every sponsorship is a force to protect press freedom.
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The text, images, and audio-visual content on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or used without authorization.