DPP Defends NT$600 Billion Budget Add-On, Cites Higher Revenue, Lower Debt, Urges Opposition Oversight

In response to the recent intense scrutiny and questioning by opposition parties of the massive supplemental budget compiled by the Executive Yuan, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party held a press conference today to give a direct response and explanation. DPP spokesperson Wu Zeng addressed concerns about the budget’s rationality, pointing out that the large‑scale addition is not the fiscal loss of control or blind expansion feared by outsiders; the core reason lies in the significant increase in Taiwan’s overall national revenue and the substantive improvement in fiscal health. The DPP emphasized that after precise financial calculations and resource reallocation, the actual borrowing amount for the whole year has not only failed to increase but is lower than the original annual budget plan by as much as NT$907 billion. The ruling party uses this figure to strongly refute claims of fiscal deterioration and urges opposition legislators, in the upcoming parliamentary review, to adopt a rational, supervisory stance and jointly support the passage of this budget package that concerns national development and livelihood needs.

The battle over the supplemental budget of more than NT$6 trillion stems from the Executive Yuan’s recent submission to the Legislative Yuan of a massive budget proposal. Opposition parties have, over the past period, repeatedly and harshly questioned the NT$6,076 billion addition, focusing on whether the expanded spending is justified, whether it crowds out other projects, and whether it will significantly increase national debt, leaving a burden for future generations. Facing strong oversight from the opposition and public pressure, the ruling party recognized the need to present concrete fiscal data and logical arguments to persuade the public and avoid the budget review being delayed by a politicized sloganeering battle. Consequently, the party’s central communication system took the front line, publicly addressing doubts and restoring the true picture of the budget formulation.

In today’s briefing, Wu Zeng especially highlighted the link between fiscal discipline and revenue performance. He noted that, in recent years, through the combined efforts of Taiwan’s citizens and businesses, the economy has grown steadily, leading to tax receipts and overall revenue that have exceeded expectations. Because the state now enjoys a more abundant fiscal base, the government can confidently allocate resources for major policy initiatives, infrastructure investment, and the care of vulnerable groups and livelihood needs. In other words, the supplemental budget rests on a premise of successful revenue growth, not on reckless borrowing. With genuine revenue gains, the government not only expands necessary policy investment but also creates room to further lower overall financing needs, demonstrating Taiwan’s recent robust and resilient fiscal management.

To help the public understand the concrete financial changes, the DPP laid out the actual debt‑reduction ledger. According to data supplied by the ruling party, although the paperwork shows a supplemental budget of NT$6,076 billion, when the increase in total revenue and the original financing schedule are incorporated into a comprehensive calculation, the government’s actual external borrowing for the year does not rise as critics claim; instead, it is NT$907 billion lower than the upper limit originally planned in the annual budget. This key figure serves as the ruling party’s cornerstone argument for fiscal soundness, aiming to convey that the government has not been wasteful; rather, while expanding construction, it has achieved real debt‑reduction results, maintaining the nation’s fiscal safety net.

From a macro‑governance perspective, this budget