KMT's Unmanned Vehicle Bill Adds NT$30 Billion! Ko Campaign Criticizes Lai Jui-long for Contradictory Stance Supporting Executive Yuan Version Despite Proposing Own Draft

In response to Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Lai Jui-long's call for Ko Chih-en, the Kuomintang (KMT) candidate for Kaohsiung mayor, to support the Executive Yuan's draft of the Unmanned Vehicle Act, Ko's campaign office issued a strong rebuttal today (4th).

The campaign stated that the KMT caucus in the Legislative Yuan has already submitted its own alternative draft, which not only increases the total budget by NT$30 billion compared to the Executive Yuan version but also incorporates localization targets, a non-China supply chain framework, and industrial support mechanisms. Therefore, Ko Chih-en supports the KMT caucus version. The campaign questioned Lai Jui-long's consistency, noting that despite having proposed his own legislative amendment, he continues to endorse the Executive Yuan's version.

Strengthening Localization and Non-China Supply Chain to Balance National Defense and Industrial Advancement

The Ko campaign pointed out that while the Executive Yuan's draft allocates a total budget of NT$210 billion, the KMT caucus version raises it to NT$240 billion—an additional NT$30 billion in investment. Crucially, the KMT version explicitly prohibits the use of key components sourced from Chinese suppliers, including flight control systems, communication modules, image sensors, navigation chips, and battery management systems. Violators could face imprisonment from three to ten years, reinforcing the implementation of the "non-China supply chain" policy.

Additionally, the KMT caucus version codifies phased localization targets: achieving 50% domestic production within two years and 80% within four years. It also plans for the establishment of at least three testing zones. In contrast, the Executive Yuan version lacks provisions on localization ratios and test site development.

The campaign argued that the Executive Yuan version primarily focuses on authorizing procurement of military maritime surveillance, reconnaissance, and attack drones, emphasizing national defense needs. Meanwhile, the KMT version goes beyond defense procurement by designing incentive mechanisms for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and startups, preferential procurement policies, financing benefits, and co-investment via the National Development Fund. This aims to establish a comprehensive industrial development framework for unmanned vehicles and position Taiwan as a key R&D and manufacturing hub within democratic supply chains.

The Ko campaign further questioned Lai Jui-long's recent appeal to back the Executive Yuan draft. If the Executive Yuan version were truly sufficient to protect Taiwan's domestic unmanned vehicle industry, why did Lai propose his own amendment? The campaign finds this reasoning difficult to understand and criticizes Lai for failing to uphold the integrity of his own proposal.

Finally, the campaign emphasized that Kaohsiung needs policies that balance defense autonomy, industrial upgrading, and labor rights—not mere political confrontation. It urged all parties to rationally compare the content of different drafts and support legislation that genuinely benefits national defense and industrial development.