Taiwan’s flagship “T-Dome” air defence programme is facing delays, after budget disputes left one of its critical indigenous missile systems without a clear funding source.
The island’s opposition-controlled legislature approved a reduced NT$780 billion (over US$24 billion) special defence budget in May, rejecting a larger NT$1.25 trillion package proposed by the government.
Among the excluded projects was funding for the indigenous Chiang-Kong, or “Strong Bow”, anti-ballistic missile system, a vital component of Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te’s proposed T-Dome missile shield to counter aerial threats from Beijing.
After the programme was dropped, the military sought to revive it either through a supplementary budget this year or by incorporating it into the annual defence budget next year.
But differences between the cabinet and the defence ministry had prevented agreement on an alternative funding mechanism, Taiwan’s Liberty Times quoted unnamed senior government officials as saying on Monday.
