Many KMT and TPP legislators unhappy about NT$10,000 handout

Many KMT and TPP legislators unhappy about NT$10,000 handout

2026-08-18

President Lai Ching-te recently announced a nationwide NT$10,000 cash handout that’ll be part of next year’s budget. The intention of the handout is to allow the residents of Taiwan to enjoy “the fruits of Taiwan’s economic development.” Yet many opposition lawmakers, for one reason or another, are unhappy about the handout coming to fruition.

President Lai Ching-te recently announced next year’s nationwide NT$10,000 cash handouts, which are supposed to help residents in Taiwan tangibly enjoy the fruitful growth of last year’s economy. But some opposition party politicians have different opinions on this money matter.

Lai Shyh-bao
Legislator (KMT)
Back when we first talked about this financial concept, the other side said this is “impoverishing Taiwan,” that it’s “selling out the country.” But this time we’ve caught Lai Ching-te “impoverishing Taiwan, selling out the country.” The DPP can, but we can’t! Talk about double standards.

Lin Chun-hsien
Legislator (DPP)
The KMT is acting all flustered, lashing out at people, like only the KMT can propose an idea like these NT$10,000 cash handouts. Next year’s nationwide cash handout is already part of the annual budget, so if the opposition parties oppose it, being that the KMT and TPP has the majority, then the KMT can just remove it from the budget. I don’t know what the KMT is getting so mad about.

Last year KMT and TPP legislators passed a bill requiring the Executive Yuan to hand out cash payments. This time the Executive Yuan is directly putting the handouts into next year’s central government budget. This year’s budget didn’t pass its third reading until this August, thereby leading to a situation in which the NT$10,000 handout has become a bargaining chip whenever the budget is brought up.

Jacky Chen
TPP caucus convener
For the investigation of the budget, the Taiwan People’s Party has absolutely carried out a rigorous inspection; the TPP would never just take it easy, insisting that it must pass just because you want to do a NT$10,000 cash handout.

Chuang Jui-hsiung
DPP Legislative Caucus
With last year’s nationwide handout, that NT$10,000 in cash, why did the Democratic Progressive Party object to it at first? Because it was borrowing money. The government has increased its sources of revenue, and so the money that needs to be spent has already been allocated. And since there’s no need to borrow money, then of course the president has mulled over this issue.

Chen Pei-yu
Legislator (DPP)
Back when Chiang Wan-an and Wang Hung-wei called for a NT$20,000 handout, Chien Shu-pei said that Taipei City’s surplus is enough to let you raise the amount. And the same goes for Mayor Lu Shiow-yen; we’ve already run the numbers for you, so Taichung could give up to NT$50,000, which means you can increase the amount. We encourage you all to bring even more joy to the lives of city residents.

Once the budget is passed by the Executive Yuan Council on Aug. 20, then it’ll most likely be passed on to the Legislative Yuan the next day, meaning this NT$10,000 handout is about to become a hotly contested issue.

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