External Concerns Over Special Ordinances for Drones, Executive Yuan: Comprehensively Reviewing
Taiwan's Legislative Yuan passed an opposition-proposed special military procurement act, excluding items like drones. The Executive Yuan stated it is comprehensively reviewing whether to introduce separate special ordinances for these excluded items, emphasizing ongoing efforts to strengthen defense capabilities.
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- 📰 Published: May 10, 2026 at 10:21
- 🔍 Collected: May 10, 2026 at 10:31 (10 min after Published)
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Taipei, May 10 (CNA reporter Lai Yu-ting) The Legislative Yuan on May 8 passed a special military procurement act proposed by the opposition parties, allocating a maximum of NT$780 billion and excluding commercial purchases and commissioned manufacturing cases. External parties are concerned whether separate special ordinances will be pushed for items excluded from the military procurement act, such as drones. The Executive Yuan did not directly comment, but Executive Yuan officials emphasized that all aspects, including how to plan future special reports, will be comprehensively reviewed.
The Executive Yuan had proposed a draft special act for strengthening defense resilience and asymmetric combat capability procurement, with a budget of NT$1.25 trillion over 8 years, to the Legislative Yuan for deliberation on November 27 last year. On May 8, the Legislative Yuan's plenary session passed the "Special Act for Safeguarding National Security and Strengthening Asymmetric Combat Capability Procurement" proposed by the opposition parties. The total budget allocated is NT$780 billion, with a maximum of NT$300 billion for the first wave of procurement from the US and NT$480 billion for the second wave of procurement from the US, excluding commercial purchases and commissioned manufacturing cases, and requiring a special report to the Legislative Yuan before proposing the special budget.
Overall, the special military procurement act after its third reading has a reduced budget and fewer items compared to the Executive Yuan's version, and also excludes commercial purchases and commissioned manufacturing cases. External parties are concerned whether separate special ordinances will be introduced for items excluded from the military procurement act, such as drones. President Lai Ching-te also expressed concern yesterday that the special act adds layers of budget review, posing a risk that the HIMARS missile system, due for payment on May 31, may not be paid in time.
Regarding how to respond to this in practice, Executive Yuan officials stated that all aspects, including how to plan future special reports, will be comprehensively reviewed, and related ministries and agencies will actively study and plan to quickly build Taiwan's complete self-defense capabilities.
Executive Yuan officials also reiterated that the Executive Yuan had previously emphasized that strengthening self-defense, enhancing asymmetric combat capabilities, and promoting defense autonomy are important directions for the nation's long-term development. Moving forward, efforts to build Taiwan's complete self-defense capabilities will continue relentlessly through legal and constitutional means. (Edited by Tsai Su-jung) 1150510
The Executive Yuan had proposed a draft special act for strengthening defense resilience and asymmetric combat capability procurement, with a budget of NT$1.25 trillion over 8 years, to the Legislative Yuan for deliberation on November 27 last year. On May 8, the Legislative Yuan's plenary session passed the "Special Act for Safeguarding National Security and Strengthening Asymmetric Combat Capability Procurement" proposed by the opposition parties. The total budget allocated is NT$780 billion, with a maximum of NT$300 billion for the first wave of procurement from the US and NT$480 billion for the second wave of procurement from the US, excluding commercial purchases and commissioned manufacturing cases, and requiring a special report to the Legislative Yuan before proposing the special budget.
Overall, the special military procurement act after its third reading has a reduced budget and fewer items compared to the Executive Yuan's version, and also excludes commercial purchases and commissioned manufacturing cases. External parties are concerned whether separate special ordinances will be introduced for items excluded from the military procurement act, such as drones. President Lai Ching-te also expressed concern yesterday that the special act adds layers of budget review, posing a risk that the HIMARS missile system, due for payment on May 31, may not be paid in time.
Regarding how to respond to this in practice, Executive Yuan officials stated that all aspects, including how to plan future special reports, will be comprehensively reviewed, and related ministries and agencies will actively study and plan to quickly build Taiwan's complete self-defense capabilities.
Executive Yuan officials also reiterated that the Executive Yuan had previously emphasized that strengthening self-defense, enhancing asymmetric combat capabilities, and promoting defense autonomy are important directions for the nation's long-term development. Moving forward, efforts to build Taiwan's complete self-defense capabilities will continue relentlessly through legal and constitutional means. (Edited by Tsai Su-jung) 1150510