TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A majority of Taiwanese oppose the legislature’s decision to repeatedly shelve President Lai Ching-te’s (賴清德) proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.85 billion) special defense budget, according to a public opinion survey released Monday.

The poll, published by the Taiwan Public Opinion Foundation, measured public reaction to the legislature’s moves to block and postpone deliberations on the proposed special military spending plan.

Respondents were asked whether they welcomed the opposition-led legislature’s decision to block the Lai administration’s proposed NT$1.25 trillion special defense budget. Results showed 30% welcomed the suspension, while 54% opposed it.

TPOF said the findings send a clear message that a significant majority of Taiwanese are concerned about the growing military threat from China and are dissatisfied with the eight-year, NT$1.25 trillion special defense plan being shelved without substantive legislative discussion.

Opposition to the suspension was consistent across age groups, with majorities in all cohorts expressing dissatisfaction with the legislature’s two postponements of the special budget, the foundation said.

The survey also found broad disapproval across educational backgrounds. Among respondents with a university degree or higher, 54% opposed the suspension of the budget, while 34% said they were satisfied with the delay.

Results varied by party affiliation. Among DPP supporters, 87% said they were dissatisfied with the current impasse, while 5.6% expressed satisfaction. Among KMT supporters, 33% said they were unhappy with the suspension, compared with 52% who supported delaying the spending.

Among Taiwan People’s Party supporters, 29% opposed the suspension, while 59% said they were satisfied with the outcome. Among respondents with no party affiliation, 33% opposed the suspension, and 32% said they supported it.

TPOF said the data indicate that while opposition party supporters are more divided, roughly 30% of voters across political camps express dissatisfaction with shelving the special defense budget.

The survey was conducted over three days in mid-December and polled adults aged 20 and older nationwide. Of the respondents, 70% were reached via landline and 30% via mobile phone, for a total sample size of 1,077. The margin of error was plus or minus 2.99 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.

TPOF Chair You Ying-lung (游盈隆) oversaw the questionnaire design, report writing, interpretation of findings and analysis of the policy and political implications. Focus Survey Research was commissioned to conduct the poll and was responsible for sampling design, telephone interviews, response collection and data processing.