TAIPEI, Aug 27 (Reuters) - Taiwan's opposition-controlled parliament rejected on Thursday a T$210 billion ($6.6 billion) government plan for a special budget to buy new military drones and passed their own plan instead, which sets annual spending at T$40 billion.
The government said its plan, to run until 2031, to buy about 210,000 drones, could not wait, as the wars in Ukraine and Iran showed the importance of uncrewed weapons in modern warfare amid a rising threat from China, which sees the island as its own territory.
But the opposition voted through its own proposals, which amount to T$240 billion over six years, drawn from the annual budget, with annual spending set at T$40 billion in principle, though it can be increased if needed.
Asked by reporters at parliament after the vote whether he would sign the legislation into law, Premier Cho Jung-tai said the question was not whether the government was satisfied.
"What I want to look at is whether the relevant bill that got passed meets the needs of the nation, and whether it meets the various needs for our defence self-reliance and for developing the entire drone and unmanned vehicle industry," he said.
"We will carefully consider this matter with regard to national needs and national security."
Taiwan's defence ministry expressed regret the government plan was not passed, saying it had been formulated after "in-depth" internal assessments and coordinated with "allied nations", which it did not name.
The United States has strongly backed Taiwan's plans to develop military drones.
OPPOSITION SAYS PROPER OVERSIGHT NEEDED
Hsu Chiao-hsin, a lawmaker for the largest opposition party, the Kuomintang, told parliament shortly before voting began that the government "cannot simply come asking for money every time without any oversight".
The opposition's proposals were better because they would ensure proper supervision of drone spending, she said.
Defence Minister Wellington Koo has previously said an annual spending cap of T$40 billion would prevent Taiwan from effectively building up drone combat capabilities, as the ministry already planned to spend T$42.1 billion on drones in 2027 alone.Fan Yun, a lawmaker for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, said after the vote that given how the opposition delayed passage of this year's general budget by months, there were no guarantees of how smooth the process would be for next year.
"If the total budget review gets delayed again, I think this creates enormous uncertainty not only for industry development but, more importantly, for urgent national defence needs," she said.
Parliament this month passed separate drone-related spending plans aimed at developing the industry.
Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, saying only the island's people can decide their future.
($1 = 31.7340 Taiwan dollars)
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Timothy Heritage)
