TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan Premier Chen Chien-jen dismissed claims of partisan favoritism in allocating the Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program budget on Friday (Aug. 11).
Speaking at the 2023 Asian International Stamp Exhibition in Taipei, Chen stated that there was no evidence to suggest any provincial bias regarding the opposition party's queries on Taiwan's fiscal discipline.
He maintained that infrastructure advancements remain a bipartisan objective aimed at improving Taiwan. Kung Ming-hsin, chairman of the National Development Council, had also argued a day earlier that the Forward-looking Program held no partisan disparities.
He explained that of the nine counties distributed more than NT$20,000 each, six are governed by the Kuomintang (KMT) party.
While the opposition and the KMT criticized the distribution methodology as unfair, particularly for lesser-populated counties, Chen countered by emphasizing that even the opposing legislative councilors still sought budget allocations for their locales.
Addressing criticism of governmental favoritism, Chen defended the administration's role to spearhead innovation in industries and balance urban-rural development.
The Premier stressed that the forward-looking infrastructure plan aims to provide supplementary assistance to resource-poor districts, pushing Taiwan's development further.