A political fight has broken out in Taiwan after opposition lawmakers slashed the Culture Ministry's budget, with the minister calling it an attack on Taiwan's identity and the opposition telling him to quit.

• Taiwan's parliament cut about NT$1 billion from the Culture Ministry and froze more, wiping out all its media-promotion money and hitting public broadcasters, TaiwanPlus, and film-support funds.
• Culture Minister Li Yuan called the cuts an attempt to silence Taiwan's voice abroad, warning that to destroy a people you first destroy their culture.
• The opposition KMT and TPP hold the majority and pushed the cuts through; KMT lawmaker Weng Hsiao-ling fired back that the ministry still has about NT$28 billion and Li should resign if he can't do his job.
• The row is tangled up in Taiwan's 2026 local elections, where the ruling DPP and the opposition are trading attacks over Taipei, Hualien, and other races.

Outlook: Expect the funding fight to keep escalating as a talking point through the 2026 local election campaign, with little chance the opposition restores the money.