DPP Legislators Urgently Press KMT to Pass Defense Budget Before Cheng's April 7 China Departure

With KMT Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun's April 7 China departure only 3 days away, DPP legislators and Taiwan national security analysts published urgent calls on April 4 demanding the opposition KMT caucus approve at least a partial version of Taiwan's NT$1.25 trillion special defense budget before Cheng departs. Taipei Times reported that analysts and DPP legislators warned that Cheng's China visit — which includes a confirmed Xi Jinping meeting in Beijing — is likely to harden KMT resistance to higher defense spending by offering Beijing an opportunity to reward KMT obstruction with diplomatic prestige. Security analysts described the timing as creating a dangerous window where the legislative defense budget impasse aligns with Beijing's outreach to Taiwan's largest opposition party, potentially enabling Beijing to signal KMT that cross-strait goodwill is an alternative to arms procurement. The DPP holds 51 of 113 legislative seats — a minority — and cannot pass the NT$1.25T bill without at least partial KMT support. The defense budget gap remains: DPP's NT$1.25T executive proposal versus KMT's NT$380B counterbill, with KMT Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen's March 30 signal of an NT$800B–NT$1T compromise range representing the current best negotiating space.