Taiwan's legislature is fighting over how to fund a major military drone buildup, with the defense ministry pushing for a special budget and opposition parties resisting — a delay that could slow the island's rearmament.

• The cabinet wants a special law to buy attack and surveillance drones and small suicide drone boats, capped at NT$210 billion through 2031.
• The ruling DPP backs the special-budget route; the opposition KMT and TPP want the money folded into the regular annual budget instead.
• The defense ministry says it should run the program itself, arguing a special budget gives steadier funding and encourages Taiwanese firms to invest in building drones at home.
• Fourteen competing versions of the bill are on the table, and talks broke down without agreement, setting up a floor vote.
• The purchases are driven by the threat from China and the urgency of getting weapons fielded fast.

Outlook: A vote is imminent, and if the opposition version passes, the fight shifts to next year's overall budget and whether the cabinet accepts the result.