Politics

Opposition Passes Drone Bill, Presidency Pledges Further Support

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By TaiwanPlus

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Taiwan's presidential office has slammed the opposition-led legislature for passing a drone procurement bill that limits funding. The Cabinet originally proposed six years of upfront funding worth US$6.6 billion. The bill passed Thursday by the Kuomintang and Taiwan People's Party adds an additional US$1 billion in funding but requires yearly reviews. The Presidential Office says the restrictions fail to fully consider defense needs and could slow Taiwan's development of drone technology.

Drone Procurement Legislation

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REPORTER:  
The Presidential Office is pledging to continue drone programs after the opposition-led legislature voted on funding limits.

Karen Kuo (SPOKESPERSON, PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE):  
Unfortunately, the version passed in the legislature [on Thursday] fails to fully consider defense needs. As nations step on the gas and accelerate, Taiwan should not get stuck at the starting line and pull the handbrake.

Opposition lawmakers on Thursday blocked a US$6.6 billion US dollar Cabinet proposal to provide six years of funding upfront to accelerate drone procurement. Instead, the Kuomintang and Taiwan People's Party passed their own bill. It provides an additional billion dollars in funding, but requires annual approval. The ruling party says the restrictions could slow development and make it harder to keep pace with rapidly evolving technology.  
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Presidential Office Urges for Drone Funding

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REPORTER:  
The Presidential Office pledged to continue to pursue drone programs vital to Taiwan’s national defense, following a setback in the legislature on Thursday.

Karen Kuo (SPOKESPERSON, TAIWAN PRESIDENTITAL OFFICE):  
Unfortunately, the version passed in the legislature today fails to fully consider defense needs. As nations step on the gas and accelerate, Taiwan should not get stuck at the starting line and pull the handbrake.

The comment came after opposition lawmakers blocked a US$6.6 billion special budget designed to fast-track drone procurement. Instead, a joint Kuomintang and Taiwan People's Party coalition passed a slightly larger bill subjecting funding to yearly reviews and annual limits. The administration warns these restrictions cannot keep pace with rapid drone iteration cycles and will bottleneck defense.  
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