Taiwan’s defence ministry slams TPP’s ‘unworkable’ military spending plan

South China Morning PostEN 1 min read 100% complete by Lawrence ChungJanuary 28, 2026 at 05:00 AM

AI Summary

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Taiwan's defence ministry has rejected a proposal by opposition party Taiwan People's Party to cut a planned NT$1.25 trillion special military budget to NT$400 billion and drop plans for the "T-Dome" layered air defence system. The plan was unveiled on Monday, which would have reduced funding for five specific weapons systems, including US-made M109A7 self-propelled howitzers and anti-armour drone missiles. The ministry stated that the plan would be unworkable and undermine Taiwan's defence readiness in the face of mounting military pressure from Beijing. The proposal has been blocked by opposition lawmakers for the 10th time, forcing further delays to the special funding bill. Debate over the bill is expected to continue into the next legislative session after the Lunar New Year holiday next month.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

M109A7 30% Javelin 30% High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (Himars) 40% United States 50% Beijing 60% Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) ×270% Taiwan Defence Ministry 80% Taiwan ×390%

Keywords

taiwan defence 80% tpp military spending 70% t-dome air defence system 60% beijing military pressure 50% taiwan defence readiness 50% special military budget 40%