At the Cabinet's weekly meeting Thursday, Premier Cho Jung-tai received reports from the Ministry of Culture (MOC), Hakka Affairs Council (HAC) and Ministry of Sports (MOS) on the implementation and outcomes of the Culture Points, Hakka Coin and Sports Coin programs. The premier said these initiatives aim to encourage active youth participation and spur the growth of related industries by issuing digital vouchers redeemable toward spending on corresponding cultural and athletic activities. The MOC began issuing Culture Points in 2023, making Taiwan the first country in Asia to promote a cultural voucher policy. The HAC launched Hakka Coin in August 2025, and the MOS is transforming its Youth Sports Voucher program into the Sports Coin program in 2026, expanding the pool of eligible recipients.
Premier Cho noted that the Culture Points program has been expanded this year to cover individuals aged 13 to 22, with each recipient receiving NT$1,200 (approximately US$38) worth of points. In the first 19 days of January, over 40% of eligible recipients have already claimed their Culture Points. He instructed the MOC to continue actively promoting the program to encourage young people to explore a broader range of cultural experiences and foster the growth of Taiwan's cultural industries.
The premier said that Hakka Coin vouchers are being issued to individuals who obtained Hakka language proficiency certification in 2025, Hakka-speaking households, and citizens aged 18 to 49 selected by lottery. Each eligible person will receive NT$1,000 (approx. US$32) in Hakka Coins, intended to encourage the public to visit Hakka villages and experience the richness of Hakka language, culture and cuisine, thereby cultivating real-world Hakka-speaking environments and promoting the revitalization of Hakka language and culture.
The Sports Coin program will expand sports voucher eligibility to all citizens aged 16 or older to advance the goal of sports for all, Premier Cho said. In total, 600,000 vouchers, each worth NT$500 (approx. US$16), will be issued for spending on exercise activities, sports event attendance and athletic equipment purchases. By boosting sports-related consumption, the initiative aims to stimulate new momentum for the sports industry and promote exercise as a part of everyday life for all.