Four competing drone funding bills face committee review

Four competing drone funding bills face committee review

2026-07-03

In Taiwan, the drone debate has finally shifted. It’s no longer about whether they are needed for defense. Instead, the upcoming debate will be about how to fund them. On Friday, four competing bills were submitted to the legislature. The Executive Yuan wants funding of NT$210 billion in a special budget, but the KMT wants funding of NT$240 billion to come from the annual general budget over six years. The TPP also wants funding to come from the general budget, but so far has not proposed a spending cap. A DPP lawmaker has also proposed her own version. Let’s find out more.

After Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu returned to Taiwan from the United States, draft drone bills were finally accepted by the legislature. A total of five drafts were submitted to committees for review. Among them, the Executive Yuan’s version allocated NT$210 billion in a special budget. The KMT allocated NT$240 billion over six years as part of the general budget. The TPP also called for drone funding from the general budget, but a spending cap was not specified. There were also versions from DPP legislators Lin Chu-yin and Chung Chia-pin. However, Chung’s draft was rejected, and in the end only four versions were successfully submitted for joint review from the legislature’s economic, national defense and finance committees.

- You plagiarized mine and silenced mine.
- You won’t allow discussions.
- Eight cheaters.
- False moves.

Chung was furious and confronted legislators from the Taiwan People’s Party, accusing them of “plagiarism.” Comparing the two versions, both emphasized national defense autonomy and industrial transformation. Both called for the Executive Yuan to establish an inter-ministerial promotion committee and designate a drone test field, with appropriate deregulation. The budget ceiling for both was not clearly defined.

Jacky Chen
TPP caucus convener
The special provisions in Legislator Chung Chia-pin’s version, which had no upper limit, were rejected.

Chung Chia-pin
Legislator (DPP)
This time, instead of submitting the Executive Yuan’s version of defense procurement to the national defense committee, they submitted it to the economic committee, showing clearly that they want the same old scenario to play out again and delay opportunities for defense procurement.

Drones have once again sparked a battle between the ruling and opposition parties. Just a day earlier, AIT Director Raymond Greene and Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen held a forum together, where Greene said Taiwan needed a “hornets’ nest” of drones. However, the KMT’s draft bill is being questioned, for KMT legislator Ma Wen-chun had previously drastically cut funding for drones from the general budget. Now she is saying once again drones should be part of the annual general budget, making those in the drone industry worry about their financial survival.

Chuang Jui-hsiung
Legislator (DPP)
The KMT’s stance has been inconsistent. Now that all the versions are referred to the committee, everyone in the Legislative Yuan can be rational.

Finally, draft drone bills are about to be discussed substantively. Which version best serves the national interest? The upcoming debates will be closely watched by both Taiwan and the US.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#Taiwanpolitics #Taiwandefense #defense #drones #UAVs

無人機條例4版本付委綠營:政院版最符合急迫性

2026-07-03

備受矚目的無人機條例，週五各黨版本在立法院闖關，五個版本中，四個順利交付委員會審查，只有鍾佳濱版本被擋掉！鍾佳濱氣得找民眾黨立委理，質疑抄他的，還丟包他的版本。綠營強調，行政院版本還是最符合急迫性，期待在野黨能理性討論。

韓國瑜訪美回台後，無人機條例終於在立法院闖關，總共五個版本拚交付委員會審查，其中行政院版本編列2100億預算，以特別預算支應，國民黨則分6年編列2400億，回歸年度預算，民眾黨也是編入年度預算，上限多少沒有交代，另外還有林楚茵跟鍾佳濱版本，但最後只有四個版本順利付委，交經濟、國防、財政委員會聯席審查，鍾佳濱版本慘被丟包。

-抄我的，然後不准我的被討論
-你們不給討論
-八個作弊的人
-打假球

鍾佳濱氣炸，找民眾黨立委理論，兩個版本比一比，都強調國防自主、產業轉型，也都要求政院設跨部會推進會，並畫設無人機測試場域，可適度調整法規限制，預算上限同樣沒有明定。

[[立院民眾黨團總召陳清龍]]
“針對鍾佳濱委員的版本，無上限的一個特別條例，就予以否決。”

[[立委(民) 鍾佳濱]]
“他們這次將行政院版的國防採購，不交給國防委員會，偏偏交給經濟委員會，擺明的就是要再度重演，耽誤國防採購的時機。”

無人機再引發朝野攻防，前一天AIT處長谷立言才跟盧秀燕一起辦論壇，喊話要把台灣打造為無人機蜂巢，但國民黨版本被質疑，馬文君曾在總預算中大砍無人機預算，現在又說要回歸年度預算，恐怕讓業者擔心，有一餐沒一餐。

[[立院民進黨團幹事長莊瑞雄]]
“這國民黨這個立場就反覆啦。所有的版本付委以後啊，在立法院裡面大家可以理性。”

無人機條例終於要進入實質討論，到底哪一個版本，最符合國家利益？接下來的攻防，台美共同關注。

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Ms. Lu
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This event is very well organized. It allows kids to learn more about the dolphins’ ecology.

The amended regulations for managing animal exhibitions explicitly prohibit recreational performances from protected wild animals that involve "unnatural behavior." As a result, Farglory Ocean Park gave its last dolphin show in April. At the time, the park said it would introduce a new exhibit that focuses on education. On July 1, they launched the brand-new “Meet the Dolphins” program, transitioning into an ecological and educational format. As for the current “show,” the park says it’s to introduce the audience to dolphins’ natural behavior.

Shen Chien-shao
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What’s different is that we’re shifting the focus to the dolphins themselves. We’re introducing the species’ natural behavior. We’re no longer holding circus-like shows or having dolphins perform stunts. This is an eco-friendly demonstration.

Chou Huang Te-rong
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We’ve completed the assessment on June 2 and approved their license for animal exhibits.

Ending dolphin shows was a huge step forward in animal welfare. As for the new exhibit, the animal protection office says it will conduct strict assessments to ensure that the operator doesn’t violate the law.

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Anthony, a Taiwanese electrical engineering student, was fascinated with drones and aircraft and so he went to Ukraine’s National Aviation University in Kyiv to pursue a master’s degree in drone design. However, he never imagined he would have a very close shave with one. A drone smashed into his dormitory, nearly killing him. Here. Anthony tells a FTV news team in Ukraine the story of his harrowing experience.

Anthony
Foreign student in Ukraine
When it was happening, I could already hear the propeller noises. They were extremely loud, coming in from outside the window, so at that point, I told my roommate: “Run!”

The dormitory windows were shattered and the furniture was unrecognizable. This should have been the safest place for a master’s student to write his thesis and sleep, but that night Anthony’s life flashed before his eyes.

Anthony
Foreign student in Ukraine
It felt like the drone was in a swooping posture, meaning it had entered attack mode. As I reached the doorway, it hit the dormitory building, and the whole place violently shuddered. I really started to feel homesick after my dormitory was attacked by the drone. That’s when I truly realized these dangers could happen to me personally.

Anthony, from New Taipei City, went to Ukraine’s National Aviation University in Kyiv to pursue a master’s degree in drone design, where he usually studies satellite communications and flight control systems with his professor, while collecting model airplanes of all sizes at home.

Anthony
Foreign student in Ukraine
My parents and sister were all very supportive of me going to Ukraine, but they ultimately left the decision to me. Later, I grew to love aerospace and became more interested in that kind of thing, so I did some research and found that Ukraine was a good place, since the world’s largest transport aircraft was based there.

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A black sedan passes through an intersection, attracting attention. It wasn’t the car itself that was unusual, but rather the fact that two little girls were sitting on the roof, half of their bodies sticking out of the car. Witnesses said the two girls were wearing goggles and were screaming all the way, seemingly quite excited.

This was seen at several intersections in a row. This outrageous scene occurred on Thursday night when the black sedan exited an interchange and drove along Section 6 of Jiaoxi Road in Yilan. The two girls sat on the roof of the car as it drove around while they enjoyed the breeze.

Member of the public
Appalled
If a car kept wobbling when in motion, and they accidentally fell off, the consequences would be unimaginable.

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The police issued tickets in accordance with regulations to maintain traffic order and ensure the safety of people on the road.

There was also another instance of adult negligence, this time in Taitung. A baby was seen lying in the passenger seat of an SUV, crying hysterically. A passerby noticed and immediately sought help. It turned out the baby’s mother had gone shopping in a mall.

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Police are reminding the public never to leave children under six years old alone in a car, as this is against the law. Don’t wait until a tragedy occurs and then regret it later.

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A brown hen rests calmly in its owner’s arms. But when the owner tried to board a train with the chicken in its cage, they were stopped by staff.

Hen owner
Vexed
We go all around, from Taipei to Yingge, taking Tze-Chiang Express trains, and we always use a pet carrier as required by Taiwan Railway. We had no issues at Qidu or Ruifang stations, but when we went to buy some chicken feed and came back to catch the train, station staff came over and asked if we meant to take the train. I said yes, and he looked inside the carrier and said because it’s a chicken, we can’t take the train. We have to find another way.

This couple wanted to take their pet hen of over two years on the train from Ruifang to Qidu, when they were told that chickens aren’t allowed on board. But they’ve taken the hen with them on trains before and never had an issue. The husband is disabled and uses an electric wheelchair, so he relies on his wife to help him. The couple waited at the station for over two hours, but couldn’t find a solution.

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In the end, railway police took the wife and hen back to Qidu, while station staff helped her husband take the train back.

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A pack of stray dogs saunters in the middle of the road, blocking people from passing. Lots of strays can be seen around here, even during the day.

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