Taiwan's Legislative Yuan party caucuses on Thursday selected 16 conveners—or co-chairs—for the eight standing committees that will steer this session's bill traffic, splitting the posts eight for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party and eight for opposition blocs: seven for the Kuomintang and one for the Taiwan People's Party, according to caucus announcements reported by Focus Taiwan.

Defense pairing draws attention

On the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, DPP lawmaker Wang Yi-chuan and KMT lawmaker Hsu Chiao-hsin will share convener authority. Each convener can set agendas and call public or closed-door sessions—a power that matters when supplemental defense budgets, drone procurement and submarine timelines stack up against a short calendar before year-end consolidation.

Hsu, a visible KMT voice on cross-strait and defense social media, inherits the gavel as opposition lawmakers collectively hold committee majorities because of their wider legislative seat count. Wang, a DPP legislator with caucus trust on security oversight, keeps the co-chair for the ruling party under the customary split when no single party controls both convener slots.

Judiciary goes TPP–DPP

The Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee will be led by TPP lawmaker Chen Gau-tzu and DPP lawmaker Ngalim Tiunn (Chang Ya-lin). Chen's selection keeps the smaller third force at the table for constitutional court nominations, financial-crime amendment packages and any impeachment procedures that surface before local elections heat up.

Other committees at a glance

Internal Administration goes to DPP Lee Po-yi and KMT Liao Hsien-hsiang. Economics conveners are DPP Chung Chia-pin and KMT Cheng Cheng-chien. Finance pairs DPP Lai Hui-yuan with KMT Lin Te-fu. Transportation names DPP Lin Chun-hsien and KMT Chiu Jo-hua. Education and Culture selects DPP Chen Pei-yu and KMT Yeh Yuan-chi. Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene taps DPP Wang Cheng-hsu and KMT Chen Ching-hui.

Why conveners matter now

Each convener serves one legislative session—typically two per year—with authority to prioritize hearings when bill backlogs exceed hundreds of items. Opposition-majority committees can advance minority versions of defense and fiscal bills even when plenary votes remain contentious, making Thursday's roster a map of which topics get daylight before Double Ten recess.

What watchers expect

Defense industry lobbyists said they are scheduling separate briefings for Hsu and Wang staffs to avoid perceived caucus favoritism. Judiciary aides expect Chen to press faster disclosure timelines on financial-crime cases tied to cryptocurrency flows—a TPP campaign theme—while Tiunn balances DPP priorities on judicial reform commissions.

Session context

The new session opened Sept. 29 with a packed agenda: AI basic law drafts, energy transition riders and local infrastructure earmarks. Conveners chosen Oct. 8 will gavel the first post-holiday committees if party whips keep schedules intact—starting with the Hsu–Wang defense dais that must reconcile uncrewed systems spending with submarine and fighter line items already queued for markup.

Cross-strait calendar pressure

Foreign Affairs and National Defense conveners typically schedule MAC and MND joint sessions after major U.S.–China readouts; Hsu and Wang inherit that rhythm as Washington and Beijing trade tariff and arms-package headlines. Staffers said the first post-holiday hearing will likely cover uncrewed systems line items before submarine supplemental tranches, mirroring caucus whip priorities filed Oct. 8.

TPP influence on judiciary

Chen Gau-tzu's convener post gives the Taiwan People's Party agenda power on constitutional court nominations and financial-crime statutes even though the party holds fewer seats than the major blocs. Chen told reporters she will prioritize cryptocurrency oversight amendments—a portfolio that overlaps finance committee fights over virtual-asset service provider licensing.

What plenary still decides

Conveners set committee calendars but cannot force floor votes; party whips still negotiate omnibus packages. Thursday's roster nonetheless signals which topics get daylight hearings before budget consolidation, when opposition majorities can advance minority versions even if plenary outcomes remain split.

Defense contractors briefing both convener offices said they will file identical slide decks to avoid perceived bias when scheduling classified follow-ups on uncrewed systems and shipyard milestones.