President Lai: Child-rearing to be Shared by State, Society, and Businesses; Taiwan Moves Toward 'New Publicization'

Central News Agency, Taipei, May 27. The government team announced 18 new strategic directions today to address the challenges of low birth rates and population structure. President Lai Ching-te stated that this strategy is a key step for Taiwan toward 'new publicization,' elevating child-rearing from an individual responsibility to a support system shared by the state, society, and businesses.

He said the policy goal is to allow parents to support each other equally in childcare while maintaining a balance between labor and management. Only by building a friendlier workplace culture, where work and family are no longer a multiple-choice question, can the goal of marriage, child-rearing, and self-realization be achieved together.

President Lai said the government's 'New Strategy for Taiwan's Population—Family Support' includes three stages: birth, upbringing, and education. The government will assist through four strategies: increasing subsidies, reducing burdens, increasing flexibility, and enhancing care. The goal is to achieve 18 measures across five aspects, including safe birth and upbringing, strengthening childcare, additional investment in education, friendly workplaces, and reducing housing pressure. The aim is to ensure that those who want to marry, have children, and watch their children grow up do not have to fight alone, but have the joint support of the state.

President Lai held a press conference this morning with Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, Premier Cho Jung-tai, Vice Premier Cheng Li-chun, and representatives of various ministries to announce the 18 measures of the 'New Strategy for Taiwan's Population—Family Support.' These include growth allowances for children aged 0 to 18, expanded subsidies for artificial reproduction, tax cuts for families with children, and extensions of marriage leave, maternity leave, and paternity leave, all aimed at addressing the challenges of low birth rates and population structure.