Premier Mao Chi-kuo (毛治國) and Minister of Health and Welfare Chiang Been-huang (蔣丙煌) publicly disagreed over a controversial baby formula policy on Monday, with Mao saying that prohibiting promotional discounts on baby formula was equal to punishing parents.
Appearing alongside Chiang at a legislative committee hearing in Taipei, Mao did not seem supportive of the policy, which was announced in October and meant to take effect next month — before being postponed last week.
Chiang at one point in the hearing said that the ministry adopted the policy because it wanted to encourage breastfeeding, but the premier interrupted him, saying there were other ways to encourage breastfeeding.
Mao said that many advocates have touted the benefits of breastfeeding because the practice enhances babies’ immune systems, and encouraged the ministry to pursue similar strategies.
He added that mothers who are capable of breastfeeding should do so, but those who are unable to provide milk should have access to affordable baby formula.
Discounts had been provided to consumers who open baby formula products immediately after purchasing them. The ministry aimed to block those discounts, which ranged from NT$50 to NT$150 (US$1.60 to US$4.80), and end discount vouchers for the products.
Violators of the policy were to be subject to a fine of up to NT$4 million, but legislators and the ministry reached a consensus to delay implementing the policy.
Having taken over as premier about 10 days after the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) resounding defeat in the Nov. 29 nine-in-one elections, Mao appears to be trying to show that the government cares about the average citizen by focusing on reducing the cost of living.
He recently promised to lower electricity prices to reflect declines in international coal and crude oil costs, and he seemed intent on Monday to keep prices of baby formula down for young parents.
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