TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) announced on Thursday (Dec. 26) that the new law will impact the ministry's 2025 budget by an estimated NT$6.5 billion, directly affecting diplomatic operations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA, 外交部) faces a significant budgetary challenge following the Legislative Yuan's (立法院) recent passage of the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures (財政收支劃分法).
The Legislative Yuan's amendment requires the central government to allocate NT$375.3 billion to local governments, affecting international organization exchanges, ally cooperation programs, and overseas offices. Minister Lin explained that the ministry's 2025 budget is NT$31.9 billion, with NT$8.4 billion already committed to legal obligations. The 28% budget reduction rate results in the NT$6.5 billion shortfall.
Lin emphasized the critical nature of uninterrupted diplomatic work. He warned that the uncertainty surrounding the year-end budget could significantly impact planning and negotiations, with delayed allocations posing a significant threat to governmental affairs. Despite these challenges, Lin confirmed that plans for Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu's (韓國瑜) delegation to attend U.S. President Donald Trump's inauguration remain on track.