President Chen Addresses the Opening Ceremony for a National Conference on Social Welfare Service Development
Taipei, May 17 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian said Friday that social welfare service reform should proceed in tandem with economic reform to meet the public's demand and enhance operational efficiency.
Addressing the opening ceremony for a national conference on social welfare service development, Chen said he hopes the ambitious government restructuring plan can be completed as soon as possible to facilitate social welfare reform. Noting that social welfare is critical to sustainable national development, social stability and harmony, and internal unity, Chen said that forging an innovative, efficient social welfare service system is an important part of the government's new Six-Year National Development Plan.
Chen said he is pleased to see the convening of the national social welfare conference to chart a new course for Taiwan's social welfare service development in the 21st century.
Quoting British sociologist Anthony Giddens, Chen said a good government must establish a sound social security system, in addition to upgrading economic competitiveness.
In the face of the changing global situation, Chen went on, Taiwan must undergo sweeping political, economic, public service and social welfare reforms and should use new thinking in promoting social welfare service. "We should treat social welfare as a social investment," he stressed.
Speaking on the same occasion, Minister of the Interior Yu Cheng-hsien said the current meeting is aimed at formulating new social welfare policy initiatives, funding for social welfare service and effective use of welfare resources, as well as crafting a new social welfare service network. More than 300 scholars, experts, elected representatives and relevant government officials are participating in the three-day conference to discuss a range of topics, including the feasibility of privatizing welfare service institutions and developing a community welfare service system.