On 2nd Anniversary in Office, President Lai Promotes NT$5,000 Monthly Growth Allowance for Ages 0-18
On May 20, President Lai Ching-te delivered a speech on his second anniversary in office, proposing four major national strategies. To address the low birth rate, he will promote a monthly growth allowance of NT$5,000 for citizens aged 0 to 18, expected to launch next year. Other key points include economic transformation, defense self-reliance, and cross-strait exchanges based on equality and dignity. This article also summarizes domestic and international news, including a Taiwanese literary award, the military procurement budget, and US-Iran relations.
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- 📰 Published: May 21, 2026 at 08:53
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- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 21, 2026 at 09:14 (13 min after Collected)
On the 20th, President Lai Ching-te delivered a speech marking the second anniversary of his inauguration, outlining four major national strategies spanning cross-strait relations, the economy, population, and national defense.
On cross-strait relations, the president stated that Taiwan is willing to engage in healthy and orderly exchanges with China under the principles of equality and dignity, but firmly rejects unification efforts disguised as peace.
Economically, the government will propose a NT$100 billion plan to accelerate the upgrading and transformation of small, medium, and micro enterprises, as well as traditional industries, and to have the tech industry drive traditional sectors.
Facing the challenge of a low birth rate, the government has decided to provide a 'growth allowance' of NT$5,000 per person per month for those aged 0 to 18, with an estimated annual budget of around NT$200 billion. Regarding the Legislative Yuan's failure to fully pass the Special Act for National Defense, the government will propose a separate special act and use supplementary and increased annual budgets for foreign procurement, commissioned projects, international cooperation, and to promote an autonomous defense industry to produce unmanned air, sea, and land vehicles.
In response to the declining birthrate, the government has launched a 'New Population Strategy for Taiwan,' one element of which is providing a monthly growth allowance of NT$5,000 for ages 0 to 18. For children up to age 6, it will generally be distributed as cash to help parents with childcare. The existing childcare allowances and subsidies for ages 0 to 6 will continue and can be received in addition to the growth allowance. For adolescents aged 7 to 18, half of the allowance is expected to be deposited into a 'Children's Future Account,' so that they will have a sum of money for education or starting a business upon reaching adulthood. This new policy is expected to be formally implemented next year, with initial plans for universal distribution without means-testing.
The Executive Yuan passed a special budget for military procurement on the 20th. For the first batch of military purchases from the U.S., the budget is formulated on an annual basis, with a total estimated requirement of approximately NT$294.99 billion, of which NT$8.8 billion will be allocated this year. Premier Cho Jung-tai said that with the May 31 payment deadline for the HIMARS rocket system approaching, he hopes for bipartisan support to pass the special budget in the shortest possible time. Reporting to the Legislative Yuan on the drafting of the budget, Cho stated that all items procured under this special budget were planned with confirmed supplier willingness, export permits, production schedules, and delivery timelines, and meet the operational needs of the armed forces. After Cho's Q&A session concluded, Legislative Yuan President Han Kuo-yu announced that the special budget would be referred to the Finance Committee and other relevant committees for review.
'Taiwan Travelogue,' written by Taiwanese author Yang Shuang-zi and translated into English by Kate Gill (金翎), won the prestigious International Booker Prize. This is the first time a Taiwanese author and translator have won the prize, and the first time a work originally written in Chinese has been awarded. Yang Shuang-zi expressed her wish to tell those aspiring to create, publish, and translate Taiwanese literature that 'we can do this'—that Taiwanese literature can compete on the international stage. Gill added that literary translation is a labor of love and passion. The chair of the judging panel, novelist Natasha Brown, described 'Taiwan Travelogue' as a captivating, understated, yet ingeniously crafted novel. President Lai Ching-te congratulated Yang and Gill on winning another major international literary award after the U.S. National Book Award, stating it signifies that Taiwan's youth have the ability to shine on the world stage. Minister of Culture Li Yuan also posted on Facebook, 'Thank you, Yang Shuang-zi and Kate Gill, for letting the world see Taiwan.'
It has been 30 years since Taiwan's first direct presidential election in 1996. Looking back, scholars say that amidst the collapse of the Soviet Union, the democratic transition of Eastern European countries, and China's missile exercises in the 1990s, this direct election redefined Taiwan's international position in the post-Cold War era. The successive elections since have fostered a sense of a 'community of common destiny' among the people of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu, further solidifying a Taiwanese identity, although issues like divergent national identities and conflicting historical memories still need time to reconcile. Frank Hsieh, president of the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association and a two-time presidential candidate, recalled the turbulent early days of the Democratic Progressive Party in an interview with CNA. Legislator Fan Yun, who was a leader of the Wild Lily student movement, reflected on the movement, saying she never expected their demands, such as a complete re-election of the National Assembly, to succeed. She attributes the success to the silent support of Taiwan's broad civil society, a fertile ground that allowed Taiwan's democratic movement to blossom.
Labor-management negotiations at South Korea's Samsung Electronics entered a second round of post-coordination procedures on the 18th, but were confirmed to have broken down by noon on the 20th. The Central Labor Relations Commission presented a revised proposal which the labor union accepted, but management maintained a reserved position and did not sign, leading to the collapse of the talks. The Blue House issued a statement expressing deep regret, hoping that both sides, considering the potential impact on the South Korean economy, would make every effort to reach an agreement until the very last moment. The union had originally announced a full-scale strike to begin on the 21st, but in a dramatic turn of events on the eve of the strike, it decided to postpone the action and will instead vote on a preliminary wage agreement.
The U.S. Senate passed a 'War Powers Resolution' on the 19th by a vote of 50 to 47, requiring President Trump to end the U.S.-Iran war unless authorized by Congress. This became a rare, bipartisan and severe check on Trump's power by Congress. Four senators from Trump's own Republican party broke ranks to vote in favor, while one Democrat voted against it, and three other Republican senators were absent. However, even with this victory, the resolution must still pass the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. Even if the House also approves it, it will almost certainly be vetoed by Trump, after which both chambers would need an absolute majority of over two-thirds to override the veto.
A parade in support of Taiwan's participation in the World Health Assembly (WHA), co-organized by several groups including the European 'Go-for-Taiwan' Hiking Association and the Swiss Little Formosa Cultural Association, was held in Geneva on the 17th. Expatriates reported being pressured by 'WHO officials' during the parade, being asked to cover the word 'TAIWAN' on their T-shirts or to take them off, which they found humiliating and absurd. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated it has instructed its representative office in Geneva to protest to the WHO Secretariat and local police, and to urge them to uphold fairness and neutrality when handling Taiwanese participation in activities.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs announced today that April export orders reached US$87.45 billion, a record high for the same month and the second-highest single month on record.
On cross-strait relations, the president stated that Taiwan is willing to engage in healthy and orderly exchanges with China under the principles of equality and dignity, but firmly rejects unification efforts disguised as peace.
Economically, the government will propose a NT$100 billion plan to accelerate the upgrading and transformation of small, medium, and micro enterprises, as well as traditional industries, and to have the tech industry drive traditional sectors.
Facing the challenge of a low birth rate, the government has decided to provide a 'growth allowance' of NT$5,000 per person per month for those aged 0 to 18, with an estimated annual budget of around NT$200 billion. Regarding the Legislative Yuan's failure to fully pass the Special Act for National Defense, the government will propose a separate special act and use supplementary and increased annual budgets for foreign procurement, commissioned projects, international cooperation, and to promote an autonomous defense industry to produce unmanned air, sea, and land vehicles.
In response to the declining birthrate, the government has launched a 'New Population Strategy for Taiwan,' one element of which is providing a monthly growth allowance of NT$5,000 for ages 0 to 18. For children up to age 6, it will generally be distributed as cash to help parents with childcare. The existing childcare allowances and subsidies for ages 0 to 6 will continue and can be received in addition to the growth allowance. For adolescents aged 7 to 18, half of the allowance is expected to be deposited into a 'Children's Future Account,' so that they will have a sum of money for education or starting a business upon reaching adulthood. This new policy is expected to be formally implemented next year, with initial plans for universal distribution without means-testing.
The Executive Yuan passed a special budget for military procurement on the 20th. For the first batch of military purchases from the U.S., the budget is formulated on an annual basis, with a total estimated requirement of approximately NT$294.99 billion, of which NT$8.8 billion will be allocated this year. Premier Cho Jung-tai said that with the May 31 payment deadline for the HIMARS rocket system approaching, he hopes for bipartisan support to pass the special budget in the shortest possible time. Reporting to the Legislative Yuan on the drafting of the budget, Cho stated that all items procured under this special budget were planned with confirmed supplier willingness, export permits, production schedules, and delivery timelines, and meet the operational needs of the armed forces. After Cho's Q&A session concluded, Legislative Yuan President Han Kuo-yu announced that the special budget would be referred to the Finance Committee and other relevant committees for review.
'Taiwan Travelogue,' written by Taiwanese author Yang Shuang-zi and translated into English by Kate Gill (金翎), won the prestigious International Booker Prize. This is the first time a Taiwanese author and translator have won the prize, and the first time a work originally written in Chinese has been awarded. Yang Shuang-zi expressed her wish to tell those aspiring to create, publish, and translate Taiwanese literature that 'we can do this'—that Taiwanese literature can compete on the international stage. Gill added that literary translation is a labor of love and passion. The chair of the judging panel, novelist Natasha Brown, described 'Taiwan Travelogue' as a captivating, understated, yet ingeniously crafted novel. President Lai Ching-te congratulated Yang and Gill on winning another major international literary award after the U.S. National Book Award, stating it signifies that Taiwan's youth have the ability to shine on the world stage. Minister of Culture Li Yuan also posted on Facebook, 'Thank you, Yang Shuang-zi and Kate Gill, for letting the world see Taiwan.'
It has been 30 years since Taiwan's first direct presidential election in 1996. Looking back, scholars say that amidst the collapse of the Soviet Union, the democratic transition of Eastern European countries, and China's missile exercises in the 1990s, this direct election redefined Taiwan's international position in the post-Cold War era. The successive elections since have fostered a sense of a 'community of common destiny' among the people of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu, further solidifying a Taiwanese identity, although issues like divergent national identities and conflicting historical memories still need time to reconcile. Frank Hsieh, president of the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association and a two-time presidential candidate, recalled the turbulent early days of the Democratic Progressive Party in an interview with CNA. Legislator Fan Yun, who was a leader of the Wild Lily student movement, reflected on the movement, saying she never expected their demands, such as a complete re-election of the National Assembly, to succeed. She attributes the success to the silent support of Taiwan's broad civil society, a fertile ground that allowed Taiwan's democratic movement to blossom.
Labor-management negotiations at South Korea's Samsung Electronics entered a second round of post-coordination procedures on the 18th, but were confirmed to have broken down by noon on the 20th. The Central Labor Relations Commission presented a revised proposal which the labor union accepted, but management maintained a reserved position and did not sign, leading to the collapse of the talks. The Blue House issued a statement expressing deep regret, hoping that both sides, considering the potential impact on the South Korean economy, would make every effort to reach an agreement until the very last moment. The union had originally announced a full-scale strike to begin on the 21st, but in a dramatic turn of events on the eve of the strike, it decided to postpone the action and will instead vote on a preliminary wage agreement.
The U.S. Senate passed a 'War Powers Resolution' on the 19th by a vote of 50 to 47, requiring President Trump to end the U.S.-Iran war unless authorized by Congress. This became a rare, bipartisan and severe check on Trump's power by Congress. Four senators from Trump's own Republican party broke ranks to vote in favor, while one Democrat voted against it, and three other Republican senators were absent. However, even with this victory, the resolution must still pass the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. Even if the House also approves it, it will almost certainly be vetoed by Trump, after which both chambers would need an absolute majority of over two-thirds to override the veto.
A parade in support of Taiwan's participation in the World Health Assembly (WHA), co-organized by several groups including the European 'Go-for-Taiwan' Hiking Association and the Swiss Little Formosa Cultural Association, was held in Geneva on the 17th. Expatriates reported being pressured by 'WHO officials' during the parade, being asked to cover the word 'TAIWAN' on their T-shirts or to take them off, which they found humiliating and absurd. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated it has instructed its representative office in Geneva to protest to the WHO Secretariat and local police, and to urge them to uphold fairness and neutrality when handling Taiwanese participation in activities.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs announced today that April export orders reached US$87.45 billion, a record high for the same month and the second-highest single month on record.