TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The opposition used its majority at the Legislative Yuan Friday to pass a package including a NT$10,000 (US$342) cash handout to the public by the end of October.

The special bill with NT$545 billion worth of spending aims to strengthen the economy in the face of international developments, in particular the threat of US tariffs. The government said negotiations with the Trump administration about the level of tariffs on imports from Taiwan were continuing.

Democratic Progressive Party legislators condemned the move as a populist measure likely to damage the country’s finances and leave the debt burden to future generations, the Liberty Times reported. 

The DPP also accused the Kuomintang of using the promise of a tax rebate to try and fend off recall votes targeting 26 of its lawmakers. The opposition defended its addition of the tax rebate to the bill by pointing at the tax surplus of NT$1.87 trillion accumulated over the past four years. 

As expected, the new package approved by the opposition KMT and Taiwan People’s Party did not include a government proposal for a NT$100 million grant to Taiwan Power Company. The KMT said it wanted the Cabinet to provide more information about its plans for utility rates and about its energy policies.

According to the version of the bill passed Friday, the tax rebate would cost a total of NT$235 billion, per CNA. Measures supporting industry and employment were listed as costing NT$93 billion, social spending received NT$67 billion, and national security and resilience NT$150 billion.