Taiwan defense budget for US cooperation sees twelve-fold increase

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense has significantly increased the budget for the ‘Taiwan-US Ministry of Defense Joint Cooperation Assessment’ project. The budget for this year has risen to approximately 152.5 million TWD, a twelve-fold increase compared to previous years. The funds are designated for personnel costs, consulting fees, travel expenses for US teams, research equipment, and professional interpretation services.

Kuomintang legislator Ma Wen-chun has raised concerns regarding the sudden budget surge, questioning the number of US personnel involved and the specific benefits of the increased spending. While expressing support for military cooperation, she emphasized the need for fiscal oversight.

Separately, Defense Minister Wellington Koo addressed inquiries regarding a potential 14 billion USD US arms sale to Taiwan. Koo stated that the US commitment to Taiwan's self-defense remains unchanged and noted that the ministry respects US review procedures. He clarified that there has been no official information regarding whether arms deliveries might be conducted in batches.