(Taipei Comprehensive News) Taiwan ’s defense budget next year is expected to have a record high, but the audit department disclosed that the military has 24.4 billion yuan (NT $, the same below, the same, S $ 1 billion) for military purchase funds to stay in the United States and cannot receive it back.
Comprehensive joint newspaper, China Times, and Free Times reported that the Taiwan Audit Department on Monday (July 29) in the 2023 Central Government's final account review report pointed out that as of the end of 2023The termination reserve for the contract reached more than 24.4 billion yuan, and it was not allowed to receive the United States, an increase of about 12.6 billion yuan over the end of 2022.
contract termination reserve refers to a fixed proportion amount that the United States requires Taiwan to pay in the United States in the early or period of the military purchase case.If the contract is suspended, it will be used to pay the loss of contractors.This money will be gradually converted into the case according to the implementation of the military purchase case.
It is reported that the United States has been in the case of unpaid contracts to terminate the reserves for many years.= NOFOLLOW TARGET = _Blank> Other military purchase projects and the cost of technical personnel in Taiwan to offset.
According to the United States regulations, the military purchasers can use the guarantee credit state issued by a qualified bank to replace the contract to terminate the reserve, but relevant banks need to obtain a federal license issued by the US Monetary Administration.The Audit Department of Taiwan has asked the Ministry of National Defense to actively coordinate the United States to accelerate relevant operations to avoid long -term idle funds.
The Ministry of National Defense of Taiwan has promoted the relevant plans since February last year, but as of the end of last year, Bank of Taiwan's overseas branches have not obtained this federal license.Therefore, the Ministry of National Defense in Taiwan held the U.S. Defense and Security Cooperation Agency twice last year to evaluate the relaxation of the qualification standard for opening credit banks.
The United States replied that due to policy adjustments and considering not harmful to US rights and consistent practices of military purchases, they were submitted to the US State Department, the Ministry of Finance, and foreign legal units for evaluation, which has not yet provided the exact completion date.
While the audit department reminds the military purchase funds, the defense budget in Taiwan next year The newspaper will reach a record high to 630 billion .The Ministry of National Defense of Taiwan said that next year coincides with the peak payment of military investment, so the budget demand will definitely be higher than this year.
