GROUNDED:
Without support from the central government, efforts to build a democratic supply chain would be hindered, the economics minister said
By Meryl Kao
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The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus’ proposed cuts to this year’s budget for Taiwan’s uncrewed vehicle development program would deal a severe blow to the local industry, Minister of Economic Affairs (MOEA) Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) said yesterday. Opposition lawmakers had already “cut off one arm” of the industry by removing drone-related funding from the special defense budget in May, and further cuts to the uncrewed vehicle development program would be like “slicing off the other arm,” Kung said on the sidelines of a legislative meeting in Taipei. With the proposed cuts to the uncrewed vehicle development program, the government would no longer be able to support the industry through policy or funding, leaving companies to fend for themselves, he said.
