Taipei: The ruling and opposition legislative caucuses have agreed to advance the vote on competing drone procurement bills to Thursday. This decision allows lawmakers to return to their districts to inspect the damage caused by recent flooding in southern Taiwan.
According to Focus Taiwan, Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu proposed moving the vote, initially set for Friday, during cross-caucus discussions. The proposal was made in response to the flooding and the anticipated passage of Typhoon Saudel north of Taiwan, heading toward China. The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the opposition Kuomintang (KMT), and the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) caucuses agreed to the schedule change.
Despite the agreement on the voting date, the caucuses failed to reach a consensus on critical elements of the bills. Key disagreements include which ministry will oversee the drone procurement program, the budget allocation, and whether to impose annual spending caps. The Cabinet's proposal suggests a special budget of NT$210 billion from August 2026 to the end of 2031, with the Ministry of National Defense (MND) as the overseeing authority.
In contrast, the KMT proposes NT$240 billion allocated in the general budget over six years, with an annual cap of NT$40 billion, placing the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) in charge. The KMT argues this approach supports drone manufacturers and aligns with MOEA's responsibilities in technology importation and cybersecurity.
The TPP's plan proposes joint authority for the MND and MOEA without annual spending limits, funded through the general budget. During the meeting, Defense Minister Wellington Koo criticized the KMT's broad scope, suggesting it could spread funding too thin across various unmanned systems beyond the MND's initial request for coastal reconnaissance and attack drones, and small suicide unmanned surface vessels.
Koo emphasized the inadequacy of NT$40 billion annually, noting additional funding needs for other drone models costing NT$31.1 billion under the 2027 general budget. DPP Legislator Chuang Jui-hsiung echoed the need to align with the MND's specified unmanned systems.
On the other hand, KMT Legislator Lai Shyh-bao advocated for phased drone procurement to prevent technological obsolescence, suggesting annual allocations with the possibility of supplementary budgets for shortfalls.
With no consensus reached, Han ruled that the legislature would address the competing bills in a plenary session on Thursday morning.