Legislative Yuan Passes NT$780 Billion Arms Procurement Bill; Executive Yuan: Will Persistently Supplement Defense System
Taiwan's Legislative Yuan today passed a military procurement special act proposed by the opposition parties, allocating a maximum of NT$780 billion and excluding commercial purchases and commissioned manufacturing. The Executive Yuan stated that while the special act has taken its first step forward, Taiwan's shield, AI kill chain, and indigenous defense are interconnected and indispensable. The Executive Yuan will continue to strengthen key combat capabilities required for the defense system, such as indigenous defense, in a legal and constitutional manner.
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- 📰 Published: May 8, 2026 at 22:53
- 🔍 Collected: May 8, 2026 at 23:02 (8 min after Published)
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Central News Agency (Reporter Lai Yu-chen, Taipei, 8th) The Legislative Yuan today passed a military procurement special act proposed by the opposition parties, setting a maximum allocation of NT$780 billion and excluding commercial purchases and commissioned manufacturing. The Executive Yuan stated that the special act has finally taken its first step forward, but Taiwan's shield, AI kill chain, and indigenous defense are interconnected and indispensable. The Executive Yuan will subsequently strengthen key combat capabilities required for the defense system, such as indigenous defense, in a legal and constitutional manner.
The Executive Yuan Council proposed a draft special act for an 8-year, NT$1.25 trillion plan to strengthen defense resilience and asymmetric combat capabilities on November 27 last year, which was sent to the Legislative Yuan for deliberation. Ultimately, the Legislative Yuan today passed the "Special Act for Safeguarding National Security and Strengthening Asymmetric Combat Capabilities Procurement" proposed by the opposition parties, with a total budget ceiling of NT$780 billion. Of this, the first wave of arms purchases from the United States has a budget ceiling of NT$300 billion, and the second wave has a budget ceiling of NT$480 billion, excluding commercial purchases and commissioned manufacturing.
Executive Yuan spokesperson Li Hui-chih stated via a media group in the evening that after 162 days, nearly half a year of continuous communication and explanation by the Ministry of National Defense with the Legislative Yuan's caucuses, some important combat capability constructions, including arms purchases from the United States, have finally taken their first step forward. However, Taiwan's shield, AI kill chain, and indigenous defense are three interconnected and indispensable pieces of the puzzle.
Li Hui-chih pointed out that the Executive Yuan's original NT$1.25 trillion version was a complete plan proposed based on Taiwan's overall defense needs and long-term evaluation. However, the version passed by the Legislative Yuan today has a scale of approximately NT$780 billion, which is a significant difference from the original proposal. Furthermore, several highly necessary and urgent items were not included, such as unmanned vehicles and counter-systems, AI-assisted and joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems, construction of defense supply chains, indigenous defense commissioned manufacturing, and joint research and development and procurement of equipment systems with the United States.
In addition to strengthening defense capabilities, Li Hui-chih explained that the Executive Yuan originally hoped to expand domestic industrial capacity, drive technological upgrades, and promote industrial development by combining indigenous defense and non-red supply chain layouts with Taiwan-US cooperation and defense needs, thereby further strengthening Taiwan's overall security and combat resilience. However, these related contents were also not included this time.
Li Hui-chih explained that the seven major defense capabilities, including "precision artillery," "long-range precision missiles," "air defense, anti-ballistic and armored missiles," "unmanned vehicles and their counter-systems," "equipment related to strengthening sustained combat capabilities," "AI-assisted and joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems," and "equipment and systems for joint research and development and procurement cooperation between Taiwan and the United States," are all interconnected and crucial for national security and overall defense resilience, and should not be lacking. The need to strengthen indigenous defense capabilities is also urgent. Facing escalating regional situations and threats, the Executive Yuan will persistently work and also expects cross-party consensus to be continuously built to quickly supplement the key combat capabilities required for the overall defense system.
She reiterated that strengthening self-defense, enhancing asymmetric combat capabilities, and promoting indigenous defense are important directions for the country's long-term development. The Executive Yuan will continue to build Taiwan's complete autonomous defense capabilities in a legal and constitutional manner to ensure national security and the democratic and free way of life for its people. (Edited by Chang Jo-yao) 1150508
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The Executive Yuan Council proposed a draft special act for an 8-year, NT$1.25 trillion plan to strengthen defense resilience and asymmetric combat capabilities on November 27 last year, which was sent to the Legislative Yuan for deliberation. Ultimately, the Legislative Yuan today passed the "Special Act for Safeguarding National Security and Strengthening Asymmetric Combat Capabilities Procurement" proposed by the opposition parties, with a total budget ceiling of NT$780 billion. Of this, the first wave of arms purchases from the United States has a budget ceiling of NT$300 billion, and the second wave has a budget ceiling of NT$480 billion, excluding commercial purchases and commissioned manufacturing.
Executive Yuan spokesperson Li Hui-chih stated via a media group in the evening that after 162 days, nearly half a year of continuous communication and explanation by the Ministry of National Defense with the Legislative Yuan's caucuses, some important combat capability constructions, including arms purchases from the United States, have finally taken their first step forward. However, Taiwan's shield, AI kill chain, and indigenous defense are three interconnected and indispensable pieces of the puzzle.
Li Hui-chih pointed out that the Executive Yuan's original NT$1.25 trillion version was a complete plan proposed based on Taiwan's overall defense needs and long-term evaluation. However, the version passed by the Legislative Yuan today has a scale of approximately NT$780 billion, which is a significant difference from the original proposal. Furthermore, several highly necessary and urgent items were not included, such as unmanned vehicles and counter-systems, AI-assisted and joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems, construction of defense supply chains, indigenous defense commissioned manufacturing, and joint research and development and procurement of equipment systems with the United States.
In addition to strengthening defense capabilities, Li Hui-chih explained that the Executive Yuan originally hoped to expand domestic industrial capacity, drive technological upgrades, and promote industrial development by combining indigenous defense and non-red supply chain layouts with Taiwan-US cooperation and defense needs, thereby further strengthening Taiwan's overall security and combat resilience. However, these related contents were also not included this time.
Li Hui-chih explained that the seven major defense capabilities, including "precision artillery," "long-range precision missiles," "air defense, anti-ballistic and armored missiles," "unmanned vehicles and their counter-systems," "equipment related to strengthening sustained combat capabilities," "AI-assisted and joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems," and "equipment and systems for joint research and development and procurement cooperation between Taiwan and the United States," are all interconnected and crucial for national security and overall defense resilience, and should not be lacking. The need to strengthen indigenous defense capabilities is also urgent. Facing escalating regional situations and threats, the Executive Yuan will persistently work and also expects cross-party consensus to be continuously built to quickly supplement the key combat capabilities required for the overall defense system.
She reiterated that strengthening self-defense, enhancing asymmetric combat capabilities, and promoting indigenous defense are important directions for the country's long-term development. The Executive Yuan will continue to build Taiwan's complete autonomous defense capabilities in a legal and constitutional manner to ensure national security and the democratic and free way of life for its people. (Edited by Chang Jo-yao) 1150508
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency's "First-hand News" APP to get the latest news instantly.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.