At the first meeting of the Executive Yuan's population policy committee on July 23, Vice Premier Jiang Yi-huah, who doubles as convener, directed the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) to draw up a set of immigration guidelines that would hasten the recruitment of industrial talent, strengthen human capital and bolster Taiwan's competitiveness.
"Population policies are fundamentally important to national economic development, and human capital represents a country's competitiveness," Jiang said, adding that more proactive immigration policies are needed as Taiwan faces challenges of a declining birthrate, aging populace and increasing competition from neighboring countries for workplace talent.
Meanwhile, Jiang urged agencies to continue with their efforts to keep the nation's birthrate—which is expected to reach a 10-year high of 230,000 this year as it coincides with the auspicious Year of the Dragon—from falling again next year.
The population policy committee, originally under the MOI, was promoted to the Executive Yuan level on July 1 to coordinate population policies across all government agencies. Meetings will be held every six months and as necessary.
Jiang remarked that since the formulation of immigration policies involves labor, education and industrial considerations, the process will require inter-ministry cooperation and support. He welcomed input from scholars and experts from all fields as reference for future policies.
During Monday's meeting, the MOI gave a briefing on draft amendments to the Population Policy White Paper. In the area of education, the paper outlined goals for promoting quality, affordable toddler care services and for raising the 5-year-old kindergarten enrollment rate from the current 94 percent to 99 percent within 10 years. In the area of child rearing, the aim is to raise the number of newborns to an average of more than 180,000 per year within 10 years by reducing child care costs and alleviating the economic burdens placed on families.
The Department of Health (DOH), meanwhile, reported on plans for a national long-term care insurance program and was asked by the vice premier to work out a fast timetable for its implementation. The DOH will also endeavor to raise the percentage of disabled persons receiving long-term care services from 16 percent in 2010 to 45 percent within five years, and to 70 percent within 10 years.
During a report on the implementation progress of the Early Childhood Education and Care Act, the Ministry of Education (MOE) pointed out that as of July 13, a total of 4,442, or 60.23 percent, of the 7,375 public and private nurseries in Taiwan had been upgraded to kindergartens. Vice Premier Jiang asked the MOE to set up a system to monitor the quality of service at preschool facilities.