TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The legislature will review the 2025 central government budget in an extended legislative session on Monday and Tuesday, with a contentious vote expected as opposition lawmakers call for extensive budget cuts.
To pass the central government budget, legislators are preparing to debate approximately 800 budget-related proposals as they hope to finish a review of the central government’s budget before the legislative session ends tomorrow.
One budget proposal includes cutting NT$100 billion in subsidies for state-run Taipower. The utility typically incurs large financial losses each year, requiring government subsidies to shore up finances, per CNA.
Furthermore, an opposition alliance involving the KMT and TPP at the end of last week used its majority to pass a general resolution to cut NT$93.975 billion (US$2.87 billion) from the proposed central government budget, a reduction of approximately 3%.
Proposed budget cuts in the general resolution include the deletion of special spending categories for select ministries such as the Mainland Affairs Council, the Ministry of Digital Affairs, the National Communications Commission, the Ministry of Labor, and Control Yuan. Another category of spending cuts included major reductions in the media budgets for most ministries.
Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) responded to proposed budget cuts on Monday. He called upon lawmakers to rationally review the central government budget and carefully consider the impact on relevant ministries that will be asked to operate with less funding.
Cho said proposed budget cuts for media will weaken the government's ability to communicate with the public to explain major policies. Reducing media publicity expenses as suggested by opposition lawmakers will potentially lead to the spread of false information, which could potentially harm society.
Another impact of budget cuts, according to Cho, will be a decline in Taiwan's overall business competitiveness, allowing competitors a chance to catch up. Cho added that cutting the central government's budget will also weaken national security.