Taiwan's plan to hand every citizen NT$10,000 has turned into a political fight, with the opposition calling out a reversal and the ruling party defending it as affordable.

• President Lai announced next year's budget will add NT$235.7 billion to give every person NT$10,000, with no new borrowing.
• KMT New Taipei candidate Li Si-chuan asked why the same idea was attacked as "impoverishing Taiwan" when the opposition proposed it last year.
• DPP candidate Su Chiao-hui said she has always backed cash handouts as long as they are legal, constitutional, and financially vetted — this is Taiwan's fifth such payout.
• The two also clashed over social housing, with the KMT saying the central government cut planned units from 130,000 to 30,000 and pushed rent subsidy costs onto local governments.
• Su denied blocking worker housing and promised a new urban renewal office plus housing aimed at young families, seniors, and students.

Outlook: Expect the handout and housing funding fight to become a central theme of the New Taipei mayoral race.