President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday downplayed the problems posed by the country’s aging population, saying the welfare and national health insurance programs in place addressed the issue.
“Please don’t worry,” the president said while visiting an educational center for the elderly in Shuishang Township (水上), Chiayi County.
“With the welfare system for the senior citizens in place, the problem of an aging population is not that serious,” he said.
REST ‘INSURED’
Unlike many other countries, Ma said, Taiwan has a national insurance program and the resources spent on senior citizens are comparatively high.
That is what many other countries lack, he said.
Ma said Chiayi County had a higher ratio of senior citizens than Penghu County last year, making it the highest ratio in the country.
More than 15 percent of Chiayi County’s population is 65 years old and above.
The UN defines an “aging society” as a country where 7 percent or more of the population is aged 65 years or older.
Taiwan has fit that definition since 1993, when the segment of its population aged 65 and up first accounted for 7.1 percent, Council for Economic Planning and Development figures indicate.
Senior citizens comprised 8.8 percent of the population in 2001 and are expected to comprise 20 percent in 2026.
JAPAN COMPARISON
Ma said yesterday the public should not worry too much about the trend, because Japan had well passed the 20 percent mark.
“Taiwan has more than 1,000 centenarians and Japan has about 8,000,” he said.
“There are some 1 million Japanese who are over 90 years old. They are living a good life,” Ma said.
The public should rest assured because there are many programs in place to address the nation’s aging population, Ma said, adding that the government had a five-year, NT$500 billion (US$14.7 billion) project to improve the quality of life for senior citizens.
Hong Kong singer Eason Chan’s (陳奕迅) concerts in Kaohsiung this weekend have been postponed after he was diagnosed with Covid-19 this morning, the organizer said today. Chan’s “FEAR and DREAMS” concert which was scheduled to be held in the coming three days at the Kaohsiung Arena would be rescheduled to May 29, 30 and 31, while the three shows scheduled over the next weekend, from May 23 to 25, would be held as usual, Universal Music said in a statement. Ticket holders can apply for a full refund or attend the postponed concerts with the same seating, the organizer said. Refund arrangements would
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday called for greater cooperation between Taiwan, Lithuania and the EU to counter threats to information security, including attacks on undersea cables and other critical infrastructure. In a speech at Vilnius University in the Lithuanian capital, Tsai highlighted recent incidents in which vital undersea cables — essential for cross-border data transmission — were severed in the Taiwan Strait and the Baltic Sea over the past year. Taiwanese authorities suspect Chinese sabotage in the incidents near Taiwan’s waters, while EU leaders have said Russia is the likely culprit behind similar breaches in the Baltic. “Taiwan and our European
Taiwanese indie band Sunset Rollercoaster and South Korean outfit Hyukoh collectively received the most nominations at this year’s Golden Melody Awards, earning a total of seven nods from the jury on Wednesday. The bands collaborated on their 2024 album AAA, which received nominations for best band, best album producer, best album design and best vocal album recording. “Young Man,” a single from the album, earned nominations for song of the year and best music video, while another track, “Antenna,” also received a best music video nomination. Late Hong Kong-American singer Khalil Fong (方大同) was named the jury award winner for his 2024 album
The US Department of State on Monday reaffirmed that US policy on Taiwan remains unchanged, following US President Donald Trump’s use of the term “unification” while commenting on recent trade talks with China. Speaking at a wide-ranging press conference, Trump described what he viewed as progress in trade negotiations with China held in Geneva, Switzerland, over the weekend. “They’ve agreed to open China — fully open China, and I think it’s going to be fantastic for China. I think it’s going to be fantastic for us,” Trump said. “I think it’s going to be great for unification and peace.” Trump’s use of the
RSS