Premier Zhu Rong-tai has met with lawmakers and officials from the D-P-P,
K-M-T and Taiwan People's Party to try and garner legislative support for a
Cabinet-proposed, special budget bill.

The 410 billion N-T special budget is aimed at mitigating the negative
effects of impending U-S tariffs and helping industry, national defense, and
vulnerable groups meet economic and security challenges over the next two
years.

The Cabinet has said the special budget will be funded primarily through
fiscal surpluses, and it "won't increase the government's debt" through new
borrowing.

The premier has said the government's goal is to negotiate tariffs with the
U-S at rates "no higher than those imposed by the U-S on competitor
countries" ... even as it maintains Taiwan's industrial competitiveness and
safeguards consumer habits.

K-M-T caucus whip Fu Kun-chi said while his party supports actions to counter
U-S tariffs, it is concerned that only 23-per cent of the funding is directly
linked to trade measures.

And while Taiwan People's Party chair and caucus whip Huang Kuo-chang said
the T-P-P is "100-per cent" supportive of financial assistance for businesses
and workers, but the government has failing to provide a detailed impact
assessment report.