Premier Cho Expresses Reservations on Opposition's Proposed Drone Development Act
Following the legislature's removal of commercial procurement and commissioned production from a special defense act, opposition lawmakers proposed a "Drone Industry Development Act" to support the domestic drone industry. In response, Premier Cho Jung-tai on the 20th expressed reservations, questioning the coordination if the Ministry of Economic Affairs, rather than the Ministry of National Defense, were to become the "brain" for military equipment.
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- 📰 Published: May 20, 2026 at 19:02
- 🔍 Collected: May 20, 2026 at 19:32 (29 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 20, 2026 at 19:37 (5 min after Collected)
After the Legislative Yuan on the 8th passed a third reading of a special defense act that excluded commercial procurement and commissioned production items, opposition lawmakers suggested promoting a Drone Industry Development Act to support the domestic drone industry. Premier Cho Jung-tai stated today that if the "brain" for weapons and equipment is led by the Ministry of Economic Affairs instead of the Ministry of National Defense, he doubts whether the "brain" and the "limbs" can coordinate effectively.
The Executive Yuan had proposed a special procurement act for a NT$1.25 trillion, eight-year plan to safeguard national security and enhance asymmetric warfare capabilities. The version passed by the Legislative Yuan on the 8th, however, only allocated a budget cap of NT$780 billion and excluded commissioned production and commercial procurement. The Executive Yuan is currently considering three options to address this: a supplementary budget, proposing another special act, or including it in the annual government budget.
DPP Legislator Chen Kuan-ting asked during a query session what remedial measures the Executive Yuan would take now that commercial procurement and commissioned production have been excluded. He also questioned what would be different if another special act were proposed, given that the opposition was against including these items from the start.
Cho Jung-tai pointed out that, first, opposition lawmakers must understand that excluding drones will affect the preliminary production preparations of domestic defense firms. It will also impact Taiwan's opportunities for international cooperation, and even hinder the formation of a democratic supply chain for Taiwan's drone industry. He warned that Taiwan would lose international trust, its own defense industry development opportunities, and fall short in national defense areas—from domain awareness and command and control to effective strikes and defense resilience. Most importantly, it would lose the crucial piece of fostering an autonomous domestic industry.
Chen Kuan-ting noted that it is now a done deal that commissioned production and commercial procurement are not in the special act, and asked whether the government would consider the opposition's proposal for a Drone Industry Development Act led by the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
Cho Jung-tai described it as an interface issue. The current NT$780 billion is under the purview of the Ministry of National Defense, which is the "brain" for future command and control. "If the brain for weapons and equipment is not led by the Ministry of National Defense, but by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, I rather doubt whether the brain and the limbs can coordinate," he said.
Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo stated that for military use, the competent authority is the Ministry of National Defense. If a separate special act were created and led by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, there could be legal issues to consider regarding whether it could cover military equipment. He suggested that while various options could be reviewed, for purely military equipment intended for the Ministry of National Defense, especially under a special act, the issue of the competent authority must be considered.
When Chen Kuan-ting further asked if dual-use items could be handled separately, Koo replied that the current special act includes pyrotechnic components, which, according to the Controlling Gun, Ammunition and Knife Act, must be handled by the MND's Armaments Bureau.
Minister of Economic Affairs Jyy-Wey Shieh stated that for military requirements, the specifications must still be set by the Ministry of National Defense, and the procurement funds must be budgeted under the MND to be viable. Otherwise, he said, "it would be strange for the Ministry of Economic Affairs to procure items for the Ministry of National Defense to use."
The Executive Yuan had proposed a special procurement act for a NT$1.25 trillion, eight-year plan to safeguard national security and enhance asymmetric warfare capabilities. The version passed by the Legislative Yuan on the 8th, however, only allocated a budget cap of NT$780 billion and excluded commissioned production and commercial procurement. The Executive Yuan is currently considering three options to address this: a supplementary budget, proposing another special act, or including it in the annual government budget.
DPP Legislator Chen Kuan-ting asked during a query session what remedial measures the Executive Yuan would take now that commercial procurement and commissioned production have been excluded. He also questioned what would be different if another special act were proposed, given that the opposition was against including these items from the start.
Cho Jung-tai pointed out that, first, opposition lawmakers must understand that excluding drones will affect the preliminary production preparations of domestic defense firms. It will also impact Taiwan's opportunities for international cooperation, and even hinder the formation of a democratic supply chain for Taiwan's drone industry. He warned that Taiwan would lose international trust, its own defense industry development opportunities, and fall short in national defense areas—from domain awareness and command and control to effective strikes and defense resilience. Most importantly, it would lose the crucial piece of fostering an autonomous domestic industry.
Chen Kuan-ting noted that it is now a done deal that commissioned production and commercial procurement are not in the special act, and asked whether the government would consider the opposition's proposal for a Drone Industry Development Act led by the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
Cho Jung-tai described it as an interface issue. The current NT$780 billion is under the purview of the Ministry of National Defense, which is the "brain" for future command and control. "If the brain for weapons and equipment is not led by the Ministry of National Defense, but by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, I rather doubt whether the brain and the limbs can coordinate," he said.
Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo stated that for military use, the competent authority is the Ministry of National Defense. If a separate special act were created and led by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, there could be legal issues to consider regarding whether it could cover military equipment. He suggested that while various options could be reviewed, for purely military equipment intended for the Ministry of National Defense, especially under a special act, the issue of the competent authority must be considered.
When Chen Kuan-ting further asked if dual-use items could be handled separately, Koo replied that the current special act includes pyrotechnic components, which, according to the Controlling Gun, Ammunition and Knife Act, must be handled by the MND's Armaments Bureau.
Minister of Economic Affairs Jyy-Wey Shieh stated that for military requirements, the specifications must still be set by the Ministry of National Defense, and the procurement funds must be budgeted under the MND to be viable. Otherwise, he said, "it would be strange for the Ministry of Economic Affairs to procure items for the Ministry of National Defense to use."