UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Taiwan’s Parliament approves $25-billion defence spending Bill

Q1. Which one of the following bodies formally approved the NT$780 billion (~US$25 billion) Special Defence Spending Bill of 2026 in Taiwan?

  • A. Executive Yuan
  • B. Legislative Yuan
  • C. Control Yuan
  • D. National Security Council of Taiwan

Q2. In the context of Taiwan's 2026 Special Defence Budget, the term 'asymmetric combat capability' most accurately refers to:

  • A. The ability to deploy nuclear deterrents against a numerically superior adversary
  • B. The use of large numbers of relatively low-cost, survivable and mobile systems (e.g., portable anti-tank, anti-ship and loitering munitions) to offset a stronger conventional opponent
  • C. Joint operations conducted simultaneously across two or more military theatres
  • D. The doctrine of pre-emptive strikes against an adversary's command-and-control centres

Q3. With reference to the Special Defence Spending Bill passed by Taiwan's Legislative Yuan in May 2026 compared with President Lai Ching-te's original proposal, consider the following statements: 1. The approved ceiling of NT$780 billion is lower than the originally proposed NT$1.25 trillion. 2. The approved bill, unlike the original proposal, restricts spending exclusively to U.S.-origin weapon systems. 3. The approved bill is to be implemented over an eight-year period (2026–2033) and is in addition to the regular annual defence budget. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The approved ceiling of NT$780 billion is lower than the originally proposed NT$1.25 trillion.
  2. The approved bill, unlike the original proposal, restricts spending exclusively to U.S.-origin weapon systems.
  3. The approved bill is to be implemented over an eight-year period (2026–2033) and is in addition to the regular annual defence budget.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q4. Which one of the following parties led the opposition bloc in Taiwan's Legislative Yuan that forced the reduced NT$780 billion ceiling on the 2026 Special Defence Spending Bill?

  • A. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)
  • B. Kuomintang (KMT)
  • C. Taiwan People's Party (TPP)
  • D. New Power Party (NPP)

Q5. With reference to weapons systems specifically funded under the first tranche of Taiwan's 2026 Special Defence Spending Bill, consider the following: 1. M109A7 self-propelled howitzers 2. Javelin anti-armour missiles 3. High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) 4. F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. M109A7 self-propelled howitzers
  2. Javelin anti-armour missiles
  3. High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS)
  4. F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters
  • A. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • B. 1, 3 and 4 only
  • C. 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4