Written by 謝毅弘 Senior Policy Analyst, TPP Policy Department 

Recently, Chinese rubber boats once again breached Taiwan’s maritime border, even making landfall at the “Red Beach” in Guanyin, Taoyuan — an incident that shocked the public. However, instead of conducting a thorough review of the glaring loopholes in border security, the ruling party has again shifted blame onto the opposition. Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling accused the opposition on Facebook of obstructing the special budget, claiming their “support for the Coast Guard is empty talk.” Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus Secretary General Wu Szu-yao also took the opportunity to criticize the opposition, asking: “Are you still going to cut the NT$150 billion security resilience budget?”

The truth is, the Legislative Yuan has consistently supported Coast Guard funding in recent years. Rather than continuously demanding larger budgets, the ruling party should first clarify whether the current funds are being used effectively and take responsibility for repeated failures — including multiple landings by Chinese boats, the Kinmen speedboat incident where critical footage was not recorded, and reports of Coast Guard leadership being implicated in Chinese espionage.

2019–2025: Coast Guard Budget Grew by 1.7x

Since the Coast Guard Administration was reorganized under the Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) in 2019, its annual budget has increased significantly — from NT$16.93 billion to NT$28.83 billion in 2025 — a 1.7-fold increase over six years. Meanwhile, personnel numbers have grown modestly, from 11,726 in 2019 to 12,605 in 2024, an increase of approximately 7.5%.

Despite these increases in funding and staffing, performance outcomes have shown little improvement. According to a report from the Legislative Yuan Budget Center, OAC spending on media promotion jumped 250% in just one year, raising concerns about the necessity of such expenditures. At the same time, personnel shortages persist: as of August 2024, the agency had 1,272 unfilled positions — more than 10% of its authorized headcount. Moreover, the Control Yuan reprimanded the OAC last year for operating vessels without proper surveillance equipment. More recently, reports have surfaced alleging high-level involvement in a Chinese espionage case.

“Is a Special Budget Warranted? Let’s Examine the 2025 General Budget First.”

Regarding the newly proposed special budget, Minister Kuan Bi-ling claims it is needed to address two major gaps: full deployment of thermal imaging devices islandwide, and expanded maritime and aerial surveillance capabilities. Premier Cho Jung-tai also emphasized the need to build new patrol boats. However, these items are already included in the 2025 Coast Guard budget. For instance, the Fixed and Mobile Infrared Thermal Imaging System Project is allocated NT$200 million and covers Kinmen, Matsu, and Penghu. Yet high-risk areas — such as the Tamsui River mouth and Guanyin Beach, both previous landing sites — have not been prioritized. This indicates a failure to learn from past incidents.

Patrol Boat and Offshore Ship Development Plans

Two major multi-year projects are currently underway:

• The Coast Guard Vessel Development Plan (2018–2027) with a total budget of NT$42.6 billion, and

• The Offshore Patrol Ship Development Plan (2022–2031) with a budget of NT$12.93 billion.

Together, they aim to produce 147 new vessels, many of which are still under construction. Adding a large special budget now raises concerns about overstretching Taiwan’s shipbuilding capacity — a risk that must be carefully evaluated.

Rotary-Wing Drone Pilot Program (NT$170 million)

In 2018, the OAC spent NT$90 million on 20 rotary-wing drones. However, failing to account for challenging sea wind conditions, many drones crashed and were rendered unusable during the northeast monsoon season. The National Audit Office deemed this a serious failure, and the Control Yuan launched an investigation. The government is now reviving the pilot program, but the unresolved issues from the initial rollout suggest deeper problems in planning and execution.

A Call for Transparency and Accountability

Strengthening national security and resilience is essential — but it must not become a fig leaf for unchecked or unaccountable spending. Budget proposals should be transparent and subjected to rigorous oversight. It is unacceptable to request hundreds of billions in funding based on vague, one-page summaries. A healthy democracy demands detailed review and public engagement, not blank checks.

The DPP has held full control of government for years. Despite the substantial sums allocated to regular and special defense budgets, the administration has failed to secure even basic coastal defense. Fishing boats, rubber dinghies, and drones continue to breach Taiwan’s borders.

What is urgently needed now is a comprehensive review of Coast Guard strategy and budget performance. The government must engage with both the legislature and the public with honesty and transparency before requesting new funds. If it demonstrates genuine commitment to reform, both ruling and opposition parties will likely support specific, effective actions to enhance homeland security — rather than relying on empty political slogans.