President Lai Ching-te is calling for the swift passage of a special defense
budget.

He made the appeal during an inspection of the Army Infantry Training Command
in Kaohsiung.

The NT$1.25 trillion budget, which the Cabinet submitted to the legislature
for review in November, is under committee review.

The bill would fund weapons systems approved by the US for sale to Taiwan in
December as well as arms sale packages that haven't yet been notified to the
US Congress and initiatives involving local manufacturers.

The opposition KMT and TPP have submitted their own versions of the budget
bill due to disagreements over its scope and cost.

Lai said that the budget should be approved *without cuts* to support the
acquisition of highly mobile and precision weapons.

He said Taiwan's strategy is to avoid war through readiness and stop war
through strength, an assertion he has often repeated.

Meanwhile, four American senators who traveled to Taiwan in March have
published a letter to Taiwan's lawmakers ... informing them that an
announcement of new weapons sales to Taiwan is expected soon.

CNA_JvW