Lai Warns Taiwan May Miss HIMARS Payment Deadline (May 31) Due to KMT Budget Constraint; US State Dept: Taiwan Funding Delay Is 'Concession to Beijing'

President Lai Ching-te expressed deep concern on May 9, 2026 that Taiwan may miss the May 31 deadline for the NT$800 million (~$25.5M) initial down payment for the US-made HIMARS rocket system — a consequence of a procedural constraint embedded in the NT$780B Special Defense Budget passed by the KMT-TPP legislative majority on May 8. Under the new law, the Executive Yuan must submit a report on five categories of weapons (including HIMARS, M109A7 howitzers, Javelin/TOW missiles) within one month of passage and obtain legislative approval before funds can be disbursed. This mandatory approval step, inserted by the KMT, creates a timeline risk: the NT$780B budget passed May 8, the one-month submission window runs to June 8, but the HIMARS down payment deadline is May 31 — meaning the procedural cycle cannot complete before the payment falls due. If Taiwan misses the deadline, the HIMARS procurement case must be canceled and restarted. The US State Department responded on May 9, warning that Taiwan's defense funding delay 'can only benefit Beijing' and calling on Taiwan to resolve the procedural issue urgently. Focus Taiwan confirmed the payment deadline conflict. The HIMARS issue underscores the gap between the legislative passage of the NT$780B budget on May 8 and actual disbursement — a gap Beijing has been quick to note as Taiwan's internal divisions.