Taiwan's new legislative session opened with the two opposition parties skipping the premier's policy report entirely, a sign that this budget session will be a fight.

• Premier Cho Jung-tai and his cabinet ministers presented the government's plans to a room with empty opposition seats.
• The KMT caucus stayed away until the report ended, showing up only for a vote on watchdog appointments; the TPP held a press conference outside the chamber instead.
• Cho asked lawmakers to back four priorities: next year's main budget, a supplementary budget covering pay raises for public workers and teachers, a special procurement bill for asymmetric defense weapons, and population and small-business legislation.
• Ruling-party lawmakers posted footage of the empty chamber and accused the absentees of collecting large salaries while refusing to show up, then blaming the cabinet later.
• The defense procurement bill matters beyond Taiwan, since it funds the kind of cheaper, harder-to-hit weapons meant to deter a Chinese attack.

Outlook: Expect a drawn-out budget fight, with the opposition majority likely to cut or freeze spending and the defense and pay-raise items most at risk.