Taiwan Legislator Slams Opposition's Defense Procurement Plan as 'Absurd'

A contentious debate is unfolding in Taiwan's legislature over the proposed "Act for Procurement of National Defense Autonomous Vehicles." Opposition parties, specifically the Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People's Party (TPP), are pushing for the Ministry of Economic Affairs to be the primary authority for defense procurement under this special bill. This stance has drawn sharp criticism from ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Wang Ting-yu.

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It's as absurd as putting the police department's firearm procurement needs under the Environmental Protection Bureau.

Wang vehemently denounced the proposal, likening it to assigning the task of procuring firearms for the police department to the Environmental Protection Bureau. He argued that placing defense procurement under an economic ministry fundamentally misunderstands and undermines the critical national security requirements. Wang accused the opposition of prioritizing political obstruction and animosity towards the ruling party over Taiwan's safety and future.

The core of the dispute lies in the proposed special bill, intended to facilitate the development and acquisition of unmanned vehicles, crucial for Taiwan's asymmetric warfare strategy against China. The DPP government views this bill not only as a defense necessity but also as an economic incentive to foster domestic investment, research and development, and technological advancement in the drone industry. The KMT's version proposes an annual budget of NT$40 billion, which Wang deems insufficient.

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Blue and white (KMT and TPP) are joining forces to negate defense needs, placing the bill under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, which is as absurd as putting the police department's firearm procurement needs under the Environmental Protection Bureau.

Wang further criticized the TPP's suggestion to integrate drone procurement budgets into the regular annual budget, arguing this ignores the need for stable, multi-year orders essential for building a robust domestic industry. He accused TPP Chairman Huang Kuo-chang of aligning with KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi to harm Taiwan's national security and its burgeoning drone sector. Wang concluded that such partisan infighting and hatred towards political opponents, to the detriment of national interests, will ultimately lead to the parties' rejection by the Taiwanese people.

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If there is only party infighting, no national interest, and only hatred for Lai Ching-te, even hatred for Taiwan itself, such a party will eventually be rejected and eliminated by the Taiwanese people.