President Lai: NT$5,000 Monthly Allowance for Ages 0-18, Annual Budget of NT$200 Billion

Central Message (CNA reporters Yeh Su-ping, Wen Kuei-hsiang, Kao Hua-chien, Taipei, 20th) - President Lai Ching-te delivered a speech today marking his second anniversary in office, stating that to address the problem of a declining birthrate, the government has decided to provide a growth allowance of NT$5,000 per month for everyone aged 0 to 18. The annual budget is approximately NT$200 billion, which he said Taiwan can afford without crowding out other budgets. President Lai delivered his speech this morning at the Presidential Office. He said that in facing the challenge of a low birthrate, the government will soon propose a "New Strategy for Taiwan's Population." The Family Support chapter includes 18 measures, one of which is the NT$5,000 monthly growth allowance for ages 0 to 18. The chapter also covers assistance in areas such as marriage, pregnancy, child-rearing, friendly workplaces, and housing for marriage and childbirth, aiming to balance work and family and empower young people to dare to marry, have children, and pursue happiness. In response to media questions, President Lai further stated that the declining birthrate is a national security issue and must be addressed at a national strategic level. In the past, the government made many efforts, but they mainly focused on, first, helping young people who wanted to have children but couldn't or dared not due to economic reasons, for which the government launched the "0-6 Years Old, Raised by the State Together" program. He said, second, for young people who wanted to have children but couldn't due to physiological reasons, subsidies for assisted reproduction were offered to help families achieve their wishes. Additionally, some improvements were made to create friendlier workplaces. However, President Lai said that in recent years, the number of births has continued to decrease. After a review, the government concluded that its efforts were insufficient and that it is necessary to propose a "New Strategy for Taiwan's Population." The first chapter is the "Family Support Chapter," and other population policies will be proposed subsequently to solve Taiwan's population and manpower shortage problems. President Lai stated that regarding the Family Support chapter, the government has 18 measures, one of which is the NT$5,000 monthly growth allowance for everyone aged 0 to 18. He said that in the future, a portion of this growth allowance will be designed as a Child Future Account, so that at age 18, whether for education or starting a business, they will have funds from the government. President Lai said the Family Support chapter is not just about distributing the growth allowance; it also includes friendly workplaces, family support, housing provision, etc., forming a complete package. The hope is to enable a balance between family and the workplace, so that young people will have the ability and willingness to marry and raise children. President Lai stated that the annual budget is about NT$200 billion, which Taiwan can afford without crowding out other budgets, because Taiwan's GDP this year (Gross Domestic