TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's government unveiled an ambitious economic resilience plan on Monday (April 28) as global trade tensions intensify. Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) announced a sweeping special budget designed to buffer the island against international tariff adjustments, geopolitical uncertainties, and emerging cybersecurity threats. The NT$410 billion (US$12.6 billion) package, approved by the Executive Yuan (行政院), Taiwan's cabinet, last Thursday, earmarks substantial funding for business support, industrial competitiveness initiatives, and critical infrastructure including Taiwan Power Company (台灣電力公司) and the nation's labor and health insurance reserves.
The premier, flanked by Executive Yuan Secretary-General Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫), began his legislative outreach by meeting with legislators from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨). Speaking to reporters afterward, Cho emphasized that the economic package addresses broader global challenges beyond simply responding to recent U.S. trade policies. He outlined the legislation's comprehensive framework built on "four pillars": industrial support, employment stabilization, social welfare protections, and national resilience enhancement — implemented through 20 specific measures across nine economic sectors with a total price tag of NT$410 billion (US$12.6 billion).
The premier revealed that officials had initially planned to utilize Taiwan's 2024 budget surplus for more limited initiatives focused on national resilience, price stabilization, and social welfare programs. The expanded scope, particularly the addition of substantial industry support measures, necessitated the creation of a formal special budget act requiring legislative approval. Addressing criticism from opposition legislators, Cho defended the controversial NT$100 billion (US$3.1 billion) allocation to the state power utility, explaining that President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) had repeatedly heard concerns about energy costs during meetings with business leaders. This investment, he argued, would help maintain stable electricity prices crucial for manufacturing competitiveness.
The premier highlighted cybersecurity as another critical vulnerability requiring immediate attention, particularly given Taiwan's unique geopolitical position and frequent targeting by state-sponsored cyberattacks. The special budget allocates significant resources toward digital resilience initiatives, including the development of a national military-civilian collaboration platform, expansion of government cloud services, construction of secure data centers, and comprehensive enhancement of the island's cybersecurity infrastructure and response capabilities. ★