Taiwanese Lawmaker Slams KMT for Blocking Crucial Military Drone Budget

Legislator Lai Rui-long has sharply criticized the continued delay in approving a significant 210 billion New Taiwan dollar budget allocated for military drones. He contrasted this obstruction with the recent passage of budgets for commercial and civilian drones, highlighting what he perceives as a politically motivated blockage.

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The more critical 210 billion military drone budget is still stuck.

Lai accused the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party and its candidate for Kaohsiung mayor, Ko Chih-en, of opposing the military drone budget. He stated that Beijing is the only entity globally opposing Taiwan's development of military drones, and expressed dismay that the KMT appears to be aligning with this stance. "Only Beijing and the KMT oppose it," Lai declared, emphasizing the international anomaly of the KMT's position.

He further elaborated on the importance of these substantial orders for Taiwan's burgeoning drone industry and national security. Lai argued that approving the military drone budget would not only bolster domestic technological capabilities but also enhance Taiwan's defense, potentially reducing the need for young Taiwanese to serve on the front lines. He urged Ko Chih-en and the KMT to expedite the approval process, stressing that democratic nations and Taiwan itself support this initiative.

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Only Beijing and the KMT oppose it.

Lai also addressed discrepancies in the review of the overall budget, accusing Ko Chih-en of hypocrisy regarding the freezing of the Premier's salary and misrepresenting her role in the fiscal distribution law. He pointed to past proposals where Ko allegedly supported measures detrimental to southern Taiwan's finances, vowing to pursue the matter further.

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Ko Chih-en has always said one thing and done another.