KMT Chairwoman's Proposed Drone Bill Could Spark Internal Party Conflict

The Kuomintang (KMT) party in Taiwan is gearing up to introduce its own version of a drone procurement bill, a move that could ignite an internal party dispute over defense policy. KMT Chairwoman Chloe Chang has announced plans to present a party-drafted bill, suggesting it may not pass before Chinese President Xi Jinping's potential visit to the United States in September.

This development comes as the Executive Yuan approved a NT$210 billion special draft act for "National Defense Autonomous Unmanned Vehicles Procurement" on June 18. The government's plan, spanning five and a half years starting August, includes procuring 208,200 units of four types of coastal attack drones and 1,446 coastal surveillance drones, along with 1,320 unmanned surface vessels. This aligns with previous defense budget proposals.

Political commentator Shen Rong-chin noted that the Executive Yuan's timely proposal, aiming for domestic production and competitive bidding, could be advantageous for President-elect L.H. Horng-yuan before his U.S. visit. Shen suggested that Horng-yuan, facing scrutiny over past opposition to arms sales, might publicly support the drone budget, especially given Chang's previous difficulties with the U.S. administration over military sales.

However, Chang faces a dilemma: her party's bill must differ significantly from the Executive Yuan's proposal to justify its existence. If the KMT's bill proposes a much lower budget, it could be criticized for continuing to undermine military spending, potentially alienating supporters. Shen believes Chang's assertive and combative personality suggests she will likely resist Horng-yuan's influence, potentially escalating into a pre-election battle for party leadership between the two.