Taipei, Sept. 23 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian directed the National Security Council (NSC) Tuesday to join up with relevant administrative agencies in forming a special panel to study population issues.
Chen gave the directive after listening to reports by a team of his economic advisers at the team's fourth meeting since its formation earlier this year.
In addition to reviewing the current domestic economic situation, Chen's economic advisors touched on the issues regarding the aging of the local population, the steady decline in the birth rate, the influx of foreign workers and the development of the elderly health care industry.
Noting that population issues are crucial to the nation's long-term development, Chen said a greying population, a dwindling birth rate and the influx of foreign workers will all have profound impacts on the nation's economic and social development as well as on education and national security fronts. "With people aged 65 or over accounting for more than 9 percent of the local population, Taiwan is now an aging society. Many issues, such as the mandatory retirement age, job opportunities for retirees and care for the elderly, are worthy of study," Chen said.
In his view, Chen went on, many existing labor and health insurance regulations should be updated to allow for the retirees to re-enter the job market and receive better health care and medical services.
Chen said he looks forward to seeing the establishment of a sound part-time work system to help enhance labor productivity. Administrative agencies should also evaluate the mid- and long-term demand for caregivers and step up job training for those intending to dedicate themselves to care for the elderly, he said, adding that the government should encourage some unemployed people to enter the elderly care service to help reduce the dependence on foreign caregivers.
As Taiwan is at the juncture of economic transformation, Chen said, administrative agencies should pool their resources with education and business institutions to strengthen vocational training and upgrading manpower quality to stem further rises in the domestic unemployment rate.
Stressing that globalization is an irreversible trend, Chen said Taiwan must face up to its challenges on not only the trading front but also in accelerated cross-border capital and manpower movement. "Cultivation of quality manpower is key to tackling globalization challenges and the threat from the rise of mainland China as a new economic power," he added.
During the meeting, Chen also said the government must take effective steps to address unemployment issues as the jobless rate reached a high of 5.21 percent in August.
Chen's economic advisory team is headed by former Premier Vincent Siew. In addition to Siew, the team's three other members -- Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research President Chen Tien-chi, Taiwan Thinktank Chairman Chen Po-chih, and Taiwan Institute of Economic Research President Wu Rong-i, also attended Tuesday's meeting. Other participants included Chen's chief of staff, Chiou I-jen, and NSC Secretary-General Kang Ning-hsiang.