Taipei, Sept. 10 (CNA) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday defended a proposal to increase its budget for high-level overseas trips by more than 60 percent, saying the increase was necessary due to inflation.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Jeff Liu told reporters that the ministry has listed overseas trips by the Taiwanese president, diplomats and senior government officials as its top priorities.
Liu said the significant increase in the budget allocated for this purpose next year was due to global inflation and rising commodity prices.
The 2025 draft budget provides NT$424 million (US$13.2 million) for overseas travel, up NT$160 million from the same budget allocated for this purpose in 2024.
Liu's remarks came after an opposition lawmaker questioned the budget increase.
In a report published Tuesday in the Chinese-language Liberty Times newspaper, Taiwan People's Party lawmaker Lin Yi-chun (林憶君) questioned the sharp increase and called on MOFA to provide more details on how the money will be spent to avoid wasting public funds.
According to the MOFA budget proposal sent to lawmakers for approval, the budget allocated for overseas travel could be used by the president, vice president, special envoys, heads of the five main branches of government, ministers and their deputies, as well as important government officials to travel abroad.
The budget also covers travel expenses for diplomats, according to MOFA.
