Cabinet Reportedly to Countersign Opposition's Drone Bill, Fold Funding Into Supplemental Budget

According to a Taipei Times report citing a government source, Taiwan's Cabinet decided around August 29, 2026 to countersign the opposition-backed Act on Strengthening Defense Autonomy and Developing the Unmanned Vehicles Industry — the NT$240 billion, six-year drone bill the Legislative Yuan passed on August 27 over the Cabinet's own NT$210 billion special-budget proposal — and to fold its funding into this year's supplemental budget rather than pursue a separate special appropriation. Premier Cho Jung-tai is expected to set the final supplemental-budget figure after receiving a Ministry of National Defense report. The decision comes despite the Ministry of Economic Affairs publicly airing 'deep regret' over the opposition version, warning on August 29 that its mandated oversight committee structure 'could create political gridlock if legislative caucuses delay nominating members,' potentially obstructing the roughly 274-company domestic drone supply chain the bill is meant to support. As of this report, the Cabinet's countersign decision rests on a single anonymously-sourced Taipei Times report and had not yet been officially confirmed by the Executive Yuan spokesperson.