Good Morning World》Special Defense Act Allocates Budget Cap of NT$780 Billion, President Hopes for Bipartisan Effort to Build 7 Major Defense Capabilities
Taiwan's Legislative Yuan passed a special defense budget bill with a cap of NT$780 billion. While this advances some critical arms procurements, the President calls for continued bipartisan cooperation to strengthen defense capabilities, as key items like drones and command and control systems are not fully included.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 9, 2026 at 08:53
- 🔍 Collected: May 9, 2026 at 09:01 (8 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 9, 2026 at 09:07 (5 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
The Legislative Yuan, led by Kuomintang and Taiwan People's Party legislators, passed the third reading of the "Special Act for the Procurement of National Security and Strengthening Asymmetric Warfare Capabilities Plan" on the 8th. The total amount was reduced by NT$470 billion compared to the Executive Yuan's version, setting a budget cap of NT$300 billion for the first batch of arms procurement letters of offer and NT$480 billion for the second batch. The Executive Yuan is required to submit a special report within one month after the act's passage, and only after approval by the Legislative Yuan can a budget proposal be prepared and submitted for review within two months. Kuomintang Chairman Cheng Li-wen stated after the vote that the KMT and TPP responsibly upheld the basic principles and bottom line of Taiwan's parliamentary operations. The Democratic Progressive Party Legislative Yuan caucus criticized the KMT and TPP for ignoring national security and jointly passing a 60% discounted version, fearing it might halt Taiwan-US cooperation, which is regrettable. (See full report)
After the Legislative Yuan passed the Special Defense Act, President Lai Ching-te stated that the procurement of critical equipment, including the HIMARS multiple rocket launcher system, can proceed, which is a difficult step taken after nearly six months of communication. However, key items such as drones, command and control systems, and the defense supply chain were not fully included. He hopes for continued bipartisan cooperation to accelerate the building of the complete seven major defense capabilities. The Executive Yuan stated that Taiwan's shield, AI kill chain, and indigenous defense are interconnected and indispensable, and will relentlessly strengthen the key combat capabilities required for the defense system. The Ministry of National Defense pointed out that the special act completely excludes commercial procurements and commissioned manufacturing projects, which harms the completeness of national defense buildup planning and can easily create capability gaps. It will actively formulate response plans to minimize the impact. (See full report)
President Lai Ching-te welcomed Paraguayan President Santiago Peña with military honors on the 8th and presented him with the "Order of Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon," recognizing Peña's outstanding contributions to deepening the friendship between the two countries. President Lai announced after their bilateral meeting that Taiwan will officially open imports of Paraguayan poultry, hoping to further deepen bilateral economic and trade cooperation. Peña condemned China's military exercises and economic pressure against Taiwan, reiterating Taiwan's right to freely interact with other countries. The two countries also signed a criminal judicial assistance treaty at the Presidential Office, declaring their determination to jointly combat cross-border crime. Bloomberg reported that Honduran President is re-examining agreements signed by the previous government with China and may re-recognize Taiwan. Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said he hopes to develop relations with Honduras based on mutual prosperity. (See full report)
The Legislative Yuan passed the third reading of amendments to parts of the Medical Act, incorporating the "three-shift nurse-patient ratio" into law, which concerns the workload of nurses. Violators will be penalized and given a deadline for improvement; those who fail to improve will be continuously penalized, and if they fail to improve after three penalties and one year, they will face a suspension of business for one month to one year. Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang explained that nursing groups hoped for implementation by December 2027, but considering factors such as year-end and Chinese New Year holidays, it is expected to be implemented on May 1, 2028, after discussion. Chen Li-chin, President of the National Nurses Association, stated that the amendment can reduce the burden on nurses, help retain staff, and stabilize the workplace environment. However, the Community Hospital Association and Regional Hospital Association are concerned that the shortage of personnel will worsen, potentially leading to more hospital bed closures. (See full report)
Ai Er Li Clinic is suspected of secretly filming with pinhole cameras, and its CEO Chang Ju-shan, Assistant Manager Zhang, and vendor Xie were detained and prohibited from communication. Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang said this was an intentional act and not an isolated case, and has instructed the Department of Medical Affairs to handle it, which should result in a business suspension according to law. In addition to Ai Er Li, police received reports of suspected secret filming at Guang Ze Medical Aesthetics Clinic. New Taipei prosecutors and police, along with the health bureau, inspected branches in Banqiao Qian and Zhongshan. Guang Ze Clinic issued a statement apologizing, stating that the photographic equipment had no intention of infringing on privacy, and will fully cooperate with the investigation. Taipei City, New Taipei City, Taichung City, Tainan City, and Kaohsiung City have all launched inspections of related institutions to ensure the protection of public privacy. (See full report)
The Ministry of Finance announced that April exports amounted to US$67.62 billion, marking the second-highest single-month record in history. However, due to the decline in information and communication product shipments in March, it decreased by 15.7% month-on-month. Exports to Europe in April were US$4.43 billion and to the United States were US$21.53 billion, both new highs for the same month, with year-on-year growth exceeding 60%. Ministry of Finance officials pointed out that these figures reflect the strong business opportunities in AI, high-performance computing, and cloud services, as well as rising prices for some products, boosting export performance. The possibility of a "not-so-slow season" for exports in the first half of this year is very high, expected to reach the highest scale for the same period in history, with an estimated growth rate between 30% and 40%. (See full report)
The Central Weather Administration stated that on the 9th, affected by the northeast monsoon, there will be localized brief showers in areas north of Taoyuan and in the eastern half, while areas south of Hsinchu will be mostly cloudy to sunny, but localized brief thunderstorms are expected in mountainous areas in the afternoon. Northern and Yilan-Hualien areas will be cooler, with high temperatures around 22 to 25 degrees Celsius. On Sunday, Mother's Day, there will be localized brief showers in the eastern half and Hengchun Peninsula, scattered brief showers in Greater Taipei, and mostly cloudy to sunny conditions south of Taoyuan. (See full report)
British police investigations revealed that former UK Border Force member and police officer Wai Chi-leung had abused the UK Home Office database to provide designated personal information to the Hong Kong government and Beijing officials, particularly information related to dissidents. He and former Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London administrative manager Yuen Sung-piu were both convicted of illegal intelligence gathering, surveillance, and other activities by the court and will be sentenced at a later date. This is the first time anyone has been convicted for assisting China (including Hong Kong) since the UK National Security Act was implemented in December 2023. The Hong Kong government issued a statement denying any connection to the case, but had previously confirmed covering Yuen Sung-piu's legal fees. British security officials issued a statement saying that the actions of the two men infringed on UK sovereignty, and the UK Foreign Office will summon the Chinese ambassador to clearly state that such activities are unacceptable. (See full report)
The U.S. Court of International Trade ruled that the temporary global tariffs implemented by President Trump in February this year were not authorized by the 1974 Trade Act, but the ruling only applies to the plaintiff companies and does not involve other importers, with the actual impact yet to be observed. The New York Times pointed out that this ruling is another setback for Trump, who is preparing to visit China next week to discuss trade issues with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The Iran war is expected to be a core issue of the Trump-Xi meeting, compressing the space for resolving disputes such as trade and rare earths.
The Legislative Yuan, led by Kuomintang and Taiwan People's Party legislators, passed the third reading of the "Special Act for the Procurement of National Security and Strengthening Asymmetric Warfare Capabilities Plan" on the 8th. The total amount was reduced by NT$470 billion compared to the Executive Yuan's version, setting a budget cap of NT$300 billion for the first batch of arms procurement letters of offer and NT$480 billion for the second batch. The Executive Yuan is required to submit a special report within one month after the act's passage, and only after approval by the Legislative Yuan can a budget proposal be prepared and submitted for review within two months. Kuomintang Chairman Cheng Li-wen stated after the vote that the KMT and TPP responsibly upheld the basic principles and bottom line of Taiwan's parliamentary operations. The Democratic Progressive Party Legislative Yuan caucus criticized the KMT and TPP for ignoring national security and jointly passing a 60% discounted version, fearing it might halt Taiwan-US cooperation, which is regrettable. (See full report)
After the Legislative Yuan passed the Special Defense Act, President Lai Ching-te stated that the procurement of critical equipment, including the HIMARS multiple rocket launcher system, can proceed, which is a difficult step taken after nearly six months of communication. However, key items such as drones, command and control systems, and the defense supply chain were not fully included. He hopes for continued bipartisan cooperation to accelerate the building of the complete seven major defense capabilities. The Executive Yuan stated that Taiwan's shield, AI kill chain, and indigenous defense are interconnected and indispensable, and will relentlessly strengthen the key combat capabilities required for the defense system. The Ministry of National Defense pointed out that the special act completely excludes commercial procurements and commissioned manufacturing projects, which harms the completeness of national defense buildup planning and can easily create capability gaps. It will actively formulate response plans to minimize the impact. (See full report)
President Lai Ching-te welcomed Paraguayan President Santiago Peña with military honors on the 8th and presented him with the "Order of Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon," recognizing Peña's outstanding contributions to deepening the friendship between the two countries. President Lai announced after their bilateral meeting that Taiwan will officially open imports of Paraguayan poultry, hoping to further deepen bilateral economic and trade cooperation. Peña condemned China's military exercises and economic pressure against Taiwan, reiterating Taiwan's right to freely interact with other countries. The two countries also signed a criminal judicial assistance treaty at the Presidential Office, declaring their determination to jointly combat cross-border crime. Bloomberg reported that Honduran President is re-examining agreements signed by the previous government with China and may re-recognize Taiwan. Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said he hopes to develop relations with Honduras based on mutual prosperity. (See full report)
The Legislative Yuan passed the third reading of amendments to parts of the Medical Act, incorporating the "three-shift nurse-patient ratio" into law, which concerns the workload of nurses. Violators will be penalized and given a deadline for improvement; those who fail to improve will be continuously penalized, and if they fail to improve after three penalties and one year, they will face a suspension of business for one month to one year. Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang explained that nursing groups hoped for implementation by December 2027, but considering factors such as year-end and Chinese New Year holidays, it is expected to be implemented on May 1, 2028, after discussion. Chen Li-chin, President of the National Nurses Association, stated that the amendment can reduce the burden on nurses, help retain staff, and stabilize the workplace environment. However, the Community Hospital Association and Regional Hospital Association are concerned that the shortage of personnel will worsen, potentially leading to more hospital bed closures. (See full report)
Ai Er Li Clinic is suspected of secretly filming with pinhole cameras, and its CEO Chang Ju-shan, Assistant Manager Zhang, and vendor Xie were detained and prohibited from communication. Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang said this was an intentional act and not an isolated case, and has instructed the Department of Medical Affairs to handle it, which should result in a business suspension according to law. In addition to Ai Er Li, police received reports of suspected secret filming at Guang Ze Medical Aesthetics Clinic. New Taipei prosecutors and police, along with the health bureau, inspected branches in Banqiao Qian and Zhongshan. Guang Ze Clinic issued a statement apologizing, stating that the photographic equipment had no intention of infringing on privacy, and will fully cooperate with the investigation. Taipei City, New Taipei City, Taichung City, Tainan City, and Kaohsiung City have all launched inspections of related institutions to ensure the protection of public privacy. (See full report)
The Ministry of Finance announced that April exports amounted to US$67.62 billion, marking the second-highest single-month record in history. However, due to the decline in information and communication product shipments in March, it decreased by 15.7% month-on-month. Exports to Europe in April were US$4.43 billion and to the United States were US$21.53 billion, both new highs for the same month, with year-on-year growth exceeding 60%. Ministry of Finance officials pointed out that these figures reflect the strong business opportunities in AI, high-performance computing, and cloud services, as well as rising prices for some products, boosting export performance. The possibility of a "not-so-slow season" for exports in the first half of this year is very high, expected to reach the highest scale for the same period in history, with an estimated growth rate between 30% and 40%. (See full report)
The Central Weather Administration stated that on the 9th, affected by the northeast monsoon, there will be localized brief showers in areas north of Taoyuan and in the eastern half, while areas south of Hsinchu will be mostly cloudy to sunny, but localized brief thunderstorms are expected in mountainous areas in the afternoon. Northern and Yilan-Hualien areas will be cooler, with high temperatures around 22 to 25 degrees Celsius. On Sunday, Mother's Day, there will be localized brief showers in the eastern half and Hengchun Peninsula, scattered brief showers in Greater Taipei, and mostly cloudy to sunny conditions south of Taoyuan. (See full report)
British police investigations revealed that former UK Border Force member and police officer Wai Chi-leung had abused the UK Home Office database to provide designated personal information to the Hong Kong government and Beijing officials, particularly information related to dissidents. He and former Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London administrative manager Yuen Sung-piu were both convicted of illegal intelligence gathering, surveillance, and other activities by the court and will be sentenced at a later date. This is the first time anyone has been convicted for assisting China (including Hong Kong) since the UK National Security Act was implemented in December 2023. The Hong Kong government issued a statement denying any connection to the case, but had previously confirmed covering Yuen Sung-piu's legal fees. British security officials issued a statement saying that the actions of the two men infringed on UK sovereignty, and the UK Foreign Office will summon the Chinese ambassador to clearly state that such activities are unacceptable. (See full report)
The U.S. Court of International Trade ruled that the temporary global tariffs implemented by President Trump in February this year were not authorized by the 1974 Trade Act, but the ruling only applies to the plaintiff companies and does not involve other importers, with the actual impact yet to be observed. The New York Times pointed out that this ruling is another setback for Trump, who is preparing to visit China next week to discuss trade issues with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The Iran war is expected to be a core issue of the Trump-Xi meeting, compressing the space for resolving disputes such as trade and rare earths.