Premier Su Tseng-chang said on Thursday that the government's promotion of economic transformation over the past three years and pursuit of growth by stimulating domestic demand are gradually yielding results. Taiwan's economy is growing steadily, the unemployment rate sits at an 18-year low, and wages continue to rise. The premier pointed out that these achievements have come in spite of a seriously unsettled external environment, where continual economic and political turmoil—such as trade friction between the U.S. and China, and the U.K.'s stalled exit from the European Union—has noticeably weakened international trade and the global economy.
Premier Su made his remarks following a presentation at the weekly meeting of the Cabinet by the National Development Council (NDC) on the current state of the overall economy and prospects for the future.
Given the potential and uncertain dangers facing the global economy, Premier Su said that internal demand will remain the primary driving force behind the growth of Taiwan's economy. He directed all ministries and agencies to actively pursue measures aimed at drawing investment and encouraging consumer spending, including stepping up work on implementing the government's action plan to welcome overseas Taiwanese businesses to return and invest in Taiwan.
Investment in public construction, the retrofitting or rebuilding of old and dangerous structures, urban renewal projects, and the construction of social housing, along with efforts to encourage energy-saving, low-carbon consumer purchases and the promotion of domestic tourism, will also help rev the engine of economic growth.
The NDC estimated that the overall economy will grow by 2.27 percent in 2019, and characterized future performance as a gradual return to stable growth, with a strengthening investment environment and a sustained rebound in private-sector consumption.