President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and other Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials yesterday presented polices aimed at young people, while a coalition of university students said that Tsai was safeguarding Taiwan’s sovereignty and protecting cultural diversity.
Kaohsiung Youth Group for Tsai head Wu Tse-wei (吳哲瑋) called on fellow university students and young people to join the coalition to help her re-election campaign.
“It is vital that young people assist us in our campaign to encourage people to uphold Taiwan’s sovereignty, while teaching how important it is to hold on to our freedom and democracy, and our pluralistic, diverse culture,” Wu said at the event in Kaohsiung.
Photo: CNA
A National University of Kaohsiung student surnamed Lai (賴) told reporters: “My family members are second-generation residents of Hong Kong and I am now living in Taiwan. I have felt the support of Taiwanese for the pro-democracy protests by Hong Kongers against China’s [now-scrapped] extradition treaty. So I know now to cherish the freedom and democracy we have in Taiwan.”
“This is why I joined this group to help Tsai’s campaign,” Lai said.
Separately, former premier William Lai (賴清德), Tsai’s running mate, traveled to Lienchiang County’s Matsu (馬祖) with DPP legislative candidate Lii Wen (李問) for campaign events.
William Lai said that during his time as premier, he improved medical services in Matsu, including emergency flight services for people with urgent medical needs.
He touted Lii’s platform for infrastructure projects and upgrades to transportation links for the islands.
Tsai on Wednesday unveiled four policies on education, employment, housing and start-ups to help young people as they enter the workforce.
Tsai discussed the policies at a forum hosted by the Taiwan Youth Association for Democracy and the National Student Union of Taiwan.
If re-elected, her government would extend the grace period for repayments of student loans and interest to a maximum of eight years for those earning less than NT$40,000 per month, Tsai said.
She plans to continue a youth housing subsidy program and to increase rent subsidies for young people, Tsai said.
To boost youth employment, her government would set up a “mini Industrial Technology Research Institute” and cultivate technical and vocational talent, with a goal to train 10,000 people per year for emerging industries, she said.
There are several loan schemes to help young people start their own business, Tsai said.
Enacting a minimum-wage law is one of her policies and the Ministry of Labor had drafted a bill in May, which has been submitted to the Executive Yuan for review, she said.
Raising the minimum wage requires a determined government, Tsai said, adding that her administration has raised the minimum wage four times over the past three years for a total hike that was about equal to what the previous government achieved in its eight years.
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