A stimulus voucher program to be rolled out next month to boost consumption would be available not only to Taiwanese, but also foreign nationals and Chinese spouses who hold residency permits, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday.
The government is fine-tuning the details of the program, which involves issuing vouchers for in-store purchases to revive buying amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
During a radio interview on Monday last week, National Development Council (NDC) Minister Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) said that the plan is to allow anyone, regardless of age or income level, to buy NT$3,000 (US$99.89) worth of vouchers for NT$1,000. They can then be used to shop at stores, buy train tickets or pay taxi fares.
However, Kung did not specify whether all Taiwan residents or only citizens would be eligible for the vouchers.
A source, who asked to remain anonymous, said that foreign nationals, including Chinese spouses of Taiwanese, who have obtained residency permits, would also be able to buy the vouchers.
The source said that the NT$3,000 vouchers, which are to be issued in paper and electronic form, would also be available free of charge to 1.2 million mid-to-low-income households.
The preliminary plan is for people to buy the vouchers at post offices nationwide, the source said.
The idea of pre-ordering vouchers online is being considered, the source said, adding that they would be collected at convenience stores.
Those who take advantage of the stimulus program by using an electronic or credit card payment method would receive a NT$2,000 refund after spending NT$3,000, the source added.
The stimulus voucher program is expected to cost the government NT$50 billion, including voucher printing and related administrative costs, the source said.
The final version of the program is to be announced by Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) tomorrow, before it is rolled out for the school summer vacation, which starts on July 15.
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