Taiwan parliament to discuss stalled special defence budget next week

TAIPEI, Feb 24 (Reuters) – Taiwan’s parliament will discuss late next week the government’s stalled bill on a $40 billion special defence budget, which has been held up by opposition party objections attracting the concern of U.S. lawmakers.

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te last year proposed the extra defence spending to counter China, which has ramped up military pressure to force the island to accept its claim of sovereignty.

But the opposition, which has a majority in parliament, refused to review the proposal and instead advanced its own, less expensive proposals, which only fund the purchase of some of the U.S. weapons Lai wants.

Earlier this month, a bipartisan group of 37 U.S. lawmakers wrote to senior Taiwanese politicians expressing concern about parliament stalling the proposed defence spending.

Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party, the main opposition Kuomintang and its much smaller ally the Taiwan People’s Party have now agreed to schedule discussion on the government’s proposal on March 6, according to pictures of the agreement posted by lawmakers to social media.

Taiwan’s parliament speaker and his deputy, in a statement responding to the U.S. lawmakers’ letter, pledged last week that the defence spending plan would be prioritised for review.

The United States is Taiwan’s most important international backer and arms supplier, despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties.

The Trump administration has pressed its allies to increase defence spending, something Taiwan President Lai Ching-te and his government have enthusiastically embraced.

China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. Lai has repeatedly offered talks with China, but been rebuffed, and says only Taiwan’s people can decide their future.