US Envoy Urges Taiwan Legislature to Pass NT$1.25T Special Defense Budget

A US envoy publicly called on Taiwan's legislators to pass the NT$1.25 trillion (approximately $38 billion) 8-year special defense budget bill as committee deliberations stalled in the week of March 22–27. Lawmakers failed to agree on most provisions — only 2 of many articles passed in committee. The opposition KMT proposes NT$380 billion and the TPP proposes NT$400 billion, far below the Lai administration's bill. The bill covers US-made systems (HIMARS, PAC-3, NASAMS), domestic drone programs, and the T-Dome air defense network. The legislative impasse undermines Taiwan's ability to lock in pending US arms packages, including the $14 billion PAC-3/NASAMS package awaiting President Trump's approval after his postponed Beijing summit.