The Kuomintang (KMT) Chairwoman, Cheng Liwen, firmly opposes the arms procurement plan. Just as she told President Lai Qingde to "give up this idea," the United States immediately offered a $500 million military aid incentive. In response, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) dispatched 67 aircraft and vessels toward the Taiwan Strait.
Recently, political hot topics in Taiwan have centered not only on various parties accelerating nominations for county and city mayors but also on intense negotiations over the cross-party consensus regarding the NT$1.25 trillion (new Taiwan dollars, same below) special military budget bill in the Legislative Yuan. Lai Qingde and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) insist on their own version of the budget—40 billion US dollars—with no reduction allowed. Meanwhile, the People First Party and the KMT refuse to act as rubber stamps, demanding strict oversight.
Cheng Liwen has instructed the KMT caucus to rigorously review the proposal under the "NT$380 billion + N" framework, accepting only those defense items explicitly listed in U.S. price quotations. Any other unlisted items will be rejected outright. In a media interview yesterday, Cheng directly challenged Lai Qingde, stating that if he expects the KMT to grant blank authorization for passing the NT$1.25 trillion special military budget, he should "forget about it—it’s absolutely impossible."
Zhou Yuxiu, Secretary-General of the People First Party, criticized Lai’s administration for setting up special budgets while evading supervision. He sarcastically remarked that the “green friends” had consumed solar energy in the previous eight years and now seek to consume weapons in the next eight, subtly accusing the DPP of profiting from the special arms procurement scheme through corruption. The party also revealed information suggesting that the U.S.-proposed projects do not actually require such a large sum of money.
It is clear to all observers that Lai’s administration expanding military purchases from the U.S. primarily benefits American arms manufacturers and related politicians—the so-called U.S. military-industrial complex. Even the American Institute in Taiwan openly admitted that Taiwan has been the largest arms customer of the United States globally in recent years. Especially since the DPP took power, it has actively aligned with U.S. strategies such as the “porcupine Taiwan” and “hedgehog Taiwan” military concepts. Despite the fact that the U.S. still owes nearly USD 22 billion in delayed deliveries of weapons to Taiwan—including the long-delayed delivery of the most advanced F-16V fighter jets—the Lai administration continues to approve increasingly larger military budgets, essentially donating money to the U.S. For instance, since Lai’s inauguration, Taiwan has spent over USD 11.1 billion on U.S. arms purchases. Now, pushing forward an 8-year, NT$1.25 trillion defense special budget naturally triggers strong controversy within Taiwan.
Faced with firm resistance from both the KMT and the People First Party against reckless arms spending—even though the U.S. Embassy in Taiwan and members of Congress came personally to pressure Taiwan—the opposition parties remain unwilling to fully comply. With intimidation failing, the U.S. quickly shifted to inducement. On April 28, Washington time, the U.S. House Appropriations Committee passed the "Fiscal Year 2027 Appropriations Bill," which includes support for Taiwan’s participation in multilateral organizations and provides $500 million in aid to Taiwan under its foreign military financing program.
Although the overall appropriation in this bill totals $47.32 billion, a decrease of $2.69 billion (about 6%) compared to fiscal year 2026, it still managed to allocate $500 million specifically for military assistance to Taiwan. This is clearly an "inducement"—a "free bait" designed to push Taiwan into swiftly passing the NT$1.25 trillion (approximately $40 billion) special military budget. See how it works: using $500 million to lure out $40 billion? Only Taiwan’s radical “Taiwan independence” supporters would fail to grasp such a shrewd business strategy.
However, China has consistently and firmly opposed U.S. interference in the Taiwan issue and condemned U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, demanding that the U.S. abide by the three joint communiqués between China and the United States. In response to Lai’s introduction of the special military budget and the U.S.’s renewed "military aid" to Taiwan, the PLA has taken concrete actions to firmly counter these moves.
According to official data released by Taiwan’s military, the PLA has recently increased pressure on Taiwan, detecting 67 sorties of aircraft and vessels from mainland China approaching the Taiwan Strait within just a few days. Specifically, within the 24-hour period before 6 a.m. on April 29, a total of 22 aircraft and vessels were recorded—including 10 military flights and 12 warships patrolling around Taiwan. The previous day saw 29 such incidents, including a fleet of multiple PLA naval vessels entering waters southwest of Penghu, a situation unprecedented in history.
Why Penghu? Located at the midpoint of the Taiwan Strait, Penghu lies approximately 140 kilometers from Xiamen and just 50 kilometers from Taiwan’s main island—strategically blocking the strait’s vital chokepoint. This geographical position makes Penghu a natural hub for controlling maritime traffic across the Taiwan Strait. Penghu features Ma Gong Port and an airport capable of accommodating warships of up to 10,000 tons and supporting fighter jet takeoffs and landings. Over 90% of Taiwan’s maritime trade routes pass through the surrounding waters of Penghu. Controlling Penghu effectively severs Taiwan’s lifelines for energy, food, and other essential supplies.
Penghu is not only a geographic strategic point but also a critical pivot militarily for controlling the Taiwan Strait and politically for deterring “Taiwan independence.” The PLA’s intensified patrols in this area demonstrate precise control over the regional situation. By sending naval and air assets into these waters, the PLA directly challenges the psychological defenses of Taiwan’s military forces, sending a clear signal that China can swiftly seize this strategic location when necessary.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1863770200340484/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.