FISCAL 2021: If the funds to purchase 66 F-16 jets from the US were included, the increase in the national defense budget would be 7 percent from a year earlier

Taipei Times
Date: Jul 26, 2020
By: Lee Hsin-fang, Rachel Lin and Jake Chung /
Staff reporters, with staff writer

The government budget for fiscal 2021 could see national defense spending increase to NT$335.8 billion (US$11.36 billion), up NT$10 billion, or 3 percent, from fiscal 2020, sources said on Friday.

If the NT$29 billion in special funding to purchase F-16 jets from the US were included, the increase in the national defense budget would be 7 percent, the sources said, adding that the military’s purchase of 66 F-16s is expected to cost NT$247.29 billion and be paid off in seven years.

The Ministry of National Defense is discussing with the Executive Yuan additional funding to purchase advanced weaponry, they said.

Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) next month is expected to present President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) with the final Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) estimate on the government’s fiscal 2021 budget, they said, adding that the final decision would be made pending a discussion between the two.    FULL  STORY]