At a press conference today, Premier Mao Chi-kuo urged the public and private sector to take heed of and cautiously respond to the aging of Taiwan's population, which is projected to continue for years to come.
"Taiwan's population structure will change dramatically in coming years due to the combined impact of the low birthrate and aging of society," he said.
Citing research conducted by the Council for Economic Planning and Development (now the National Development Council) at his request when he was vice premier, Mao said the working-age population (those age 15 to 65) is projected to peak this year at 17 million, then decrease by 1.8 million total over the next 10 years (an average of 180,000 people annually), outpacing the fall of the overall population.
The low birthrate and aging population are already the focus of population policy, the premier pointed out. He stressed that these trends must be heeded by the public and private sector alike and should be a consideration in policymaking.
For example, educational policy must take seriously the cultivation of young students' unique talents. Meanwhile, the "Industry 4.0" concept that is currently being discussed internationally must be introduced to Taiwan to help improve work force participation and industrial upgrading.
In addition, the focus of care for the elderly has been on capability loss and dementia, and while these aspects must continue to receive attention, more than 80 percent of senior citizens are in full or suboptimal health, and they can do more than just receive care; they can care for themselves and others as well. "Many elderly are still contributing to society," the premier said, expressing great respect and gratitude.
The Executive Yuan stated that the concepts of expanding labor participation and attracting highly skilled immigrants have already been incorporated into the nation's population policy program.