A total of 213,598 newborn babies were registered last year, the second-highest number of births in Taiwan in the past decade, the Ministry of the Interior said yesterday.
The figure was 3,215 more than in 2014, and in the past decade, was behind only the 229,481 births registered in 2012, the ministry said.
In addition to an increase in newborn babies, Taiwan also saw more marriages last year, when the government registered 154,346 marriages, compared with 149,287 in 2014, the ministry said.
The number of registered marriages last year was the third-highest in 10 years, it added.
The increases in births and marriages showed that the government’s policy of encouraging people to get married and have children is working, the ministry said.
According to the ministry, the incentives offered by the central government include a monthly subsidy of between NT$2,500 and NT$4,000 given to families to raise a child, a subsidy of more than NT$2,000 per month for hiring a babysitter.
In addition to these incentives, couples can also enjoy assistance offered by some local governments, the ministry said.
For example, the New Taipei City Government offers a NT$20,000 grant for a woman who gives birth. It has also set up about 40 public childcare centers, where the costs are much lower than private nurseries or hiring a babysitter, it said, adding that the policy has proved successful and has increased the city’s birth rate by 30 percent.
According to a government report, senior citizens accounted for 12 percent of Taiwan’s population in 2014, but the ratio could rise up to 41 percent by 2061.
If the trend of a low birth rate and low marriage rate continues, it is very likely that Taiwan will see negative growth in its population as early as 2019, the ministry said, citing the government report.
Four factors led to the declaration of a typhoon day and the cancelation of classes yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. Work and classes were canceled across Taiwan yesterday as Typhoon Krathon was forecast to make landfall in the southern part of the country. However, northern Taiwan had only heavy winds during the day and rain in the evening, leading some to criticize the cancelation. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting yesterday, Chiang said the decision was made due to the possibility of landslides and other problems in mountainous areas, the need to avoid a potentially dangerous commute for those
Typhoon Krathon, a military airshow and rehearsals for Double Ten National Day celebrations might disrupt flights at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in the first 10 days of next month, the airport’s operator said yesterday. Taoyuan International Airport Corp said in a statement that it has established a response center after the Central Weather Administration issued a sea warning for Krathon, and urged passengers to remain alert to the possibility of disruptions caused by the storm in the coming days. Flight schedules might also change while the air force conducts rehearsals and holds a final airshow for Double Ten National Day, it added. Although
SEMICONDUCTORS: TSMC is able to produce 2-nanometer chips and mass production is expected to be launched by next year, the company said In leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing China is behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) by at least 10 years as the Taiwanese chipmaker’s manufacturing process has progressed to 2 nanometers, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) said yesterday. Wu made the remarks during a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee when asked by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) about a report published in August by the Chinese version of Nikkei Asia that said Taiwan’s lead over China in chip manufacturing was only three years. She asked Wu Cheng-wen if the report was an accurate
PRO-CHINA SLOGANS: Two DPP members criticized police officers’ lack of action at the scene, saying that law enforcement authorities should investigate the incident Chinese tourists allegedly interrupted a protest in Taipei on Tuesday held by Hong Kongers, knocked down several flags and shouted: “Taiwan and Hong Kong belong to China.” Hong Kong democracy activists were holding a demonstration as Tuesday was China’s National Day. A video posted online by civic group Hong Kong Outlanders shows a couple, who are allegedly Chinese, during the demonstration. “Today is China’s National Day, and I won’t allow the displaying of these flags,” the male yells in the video before pushing some demonstrators and knocking down a few flagpoles. Radio Free Asia reported that some of the demonstrators
RSS