Taiwan's plan to buy a big batch of new weapons has been cut back after lawmakers refused most of the money, which is bad news for the island's defense build-up timeline.

• The air force's Chiang Kung anti-ballistic missile system is now funded through the regular annual budget instead of a secret one, spread over several years.
• The government originally wanted a huge one-off special budget to buy 23 weapon systems at once, arguing it kept spending flexible and disciplined.
• Lawmakers approved only the portion covering US arms purchases, forcing everything else — locally made and commercially bought gear — back into the slower annual budget.
• The opposition KMT says this proves special budgets were never needed, and that drones could be funded the same ordinary way.
• Defense officials say they are reprioritizing by urgency, but admit the overall rearmament schedule has slipped.

Outlook: Expect a continued fight in Taiwan's legislature over how to fund weapons, with delivery dates for several systems pushed back.