Executive Yuan's Special Military Budget Proposal Sent to Legislative Committee for Review

(CNA, Reporter Wang Cheng-chung, Taipei, 20th) The Legislative Yuan today invited Premier Cho Jung-tai to report on the "Compilation Process of the Special Budget Proposal for the First Batch of Letters of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) under the Protect National Security and Strengthen Asymmetric Warfare Capabilities Project," and to answer questions. After the session, Legislative Yuan President Han Kuo-yu announced that the special budget proposal would be referred to the Finance Committee and other relevant committees for review. On the 8th, the Legislative Yuan passed the third reading of the "Special Act for Procurement under the Protect National Security and Strengthen Asymmetric Warfare Capabilities Project." It stipulates a budget ceiling of NT$300 billion for the first batch of military procurement LOAs and NT$4800 billion for the second batch. The Executive Yuan is required to submit a special report within one month of the act's passage. After receiving approval from the Legislative Yuan, it may then draft the budget proposal and send it to the legislature for review within two months. The Executive Yuan held an extra meeting today and passed the "FY2026 Central Government Special Budget Proposal for Procurement under the Protect National Security and Strengthen Asymmetric Warfare Capabilities Project." For the first batch of military procurement from the U.S., the budget is compiled on an annual basis. The total proposed funding requirement is approximately NT$294.99098 billion, with NT$8.8 billion allocated for the first year, which has been sent to the Legislative Yuan for deliberation. In the afternoon, the Legislative Yuan invited Premier Cho Jung-tai, Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics Minister Chen Shu-tzu, Minister of Finance Chuang Tsui-yun, Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo, and other relevant ministry heads to report on the compilation process of the special budget proposal and to take questions. Following the Q&A session, the meeting's chairman, Legislative Yuan President Han Kuo-yu, announced at around 6:30 PM that the "FY2026 Central Government Special Budget Proposal for Procurement under the Protect National Security and Strengthen Asymmetric Warfare Capabilities Project" would be referred to the Finance Committee and other relevant committees for review. (Editor: Hsieh Chia-chen)