The Executive Yuan today approved the National Development Council's (NDC) draft 2018 National Development Plan, which focuses on nation building and policy execution.
Premier Lai Ching-te said the overall economic targets for 2018 are to increase GDP by 2.4 to 2.6 percent, keep the rise in consumer price index to under 2 percent, and maintain the unemployment rate at 3.7 to 3.8 percent. He instructed agencies to proactively apply economic stimulus policies and measures to ensure all goals are met.
In drafting this plan, the NDC for the first time established performance indicators and targets for individual agencies as well as inter-agency efforts, Premier Lai continued. The plan's focus on major policies also facilitates top-down leadership and allows the public to see very clearly the government's policy priorities and commitments. He applauded the NDC for this new approach.
According to the NDC, the plan has set a GDP per capita target of between US$25,233 and US$25,307 for 2018. With moderate growth expected in the global economy and external trade, the plan underlines the importance of domestic demand for driving growth, particularly with regard to the extended impacts of public and private investments.