Taiwan military's budget for the year 2006 is 265.7 billion new Taiwan dollars (four new Taiwan dollars equals one RMB yuan), over 7.2 billion more than the previous year, according to the Taiwan media. .

Taiwan "Central News Agency" reports that the increase was mainly the result of special arms purchase. Taiwan military decided to bring the Patriot III missile system into the annual budget and try to win the support of the "lawmakers" of the opposition parties.

Of the increase the secret budget of the "national defense" expenditure is over 48.2 billion, up 6.5 billion from the previous year's 41.7 billion. Conventional armament budget of the missile headquarters also grows by more than 300 million.

By People's Daily Online