More than 40,000 fewer people than the end of 2019! The island’s population experienced negative growth for the first time last year
[Global Times reporter Cheng Dong] Taiwan’s population experienced negative growth last year for the first time.
According to a report by Taiwan’s United News Network on the 24th, Taiwan’s "Ministry of Interior" statistics show that the population of Taiwan at the end of last year was 23.56 million, a decrease of more than 40,000 from the end of 2019; the number of newborns hit a record low, with 165,000 births last year. The number of deaths exceeded 170,000, which was greater than the number of births for the first time, and the natural population growth ushered in a "death cross" for the first time.
The latest report from Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan Legislative Affairs Bureau stated that the problem of declining birthrates has existed in Taiwan for more than 20 years. Although the authorities have successively introduced a number of policies, the results have not been effective and still cannot save the declining fertility rate.
In April 2017, the "Ministry of Health and Welfare" established the "Decreased Birth Reduction Office", but it was closed after only one meeting.
The report believes that the problem of declining birthrate is by no means a simple fertility problem, but a systemic problem. If the problem of declining birthrate continues to worsen, it will affect Taiwan’s economic development and reduce overall competitiveness.
Professor Xue Chengtai of the Department of Sociology at National Taiwan University said that the key factors that young people dare not have are the economy, housing prices, consumerism, and excessive working hours.
He said that Taiwan's total fertility rate was 1.68 in 2000, and then it began to decline, hitting a record low of 1.05 last year.
European statistics show that when the fertility rate drops to 1.3, various incentive policies have limited effects. It is estimated that Taiwan’s total population will still be 22 million in 2040. The real problem lies in the change in the demographic structure. By then, the proportion of the elderly will reach 30%. Weaken Taiwan's economic power".
Xin Binglong, an associate professor at National Taiwan University National Development Institute, believes that the decline in fertility is related to "willingness" and "ability". "No couple will want to have a baby because they cost a few thousand dollars a month."
Xue Chengtai said that the authorities have increased a lot, but the long-term problem lies in young people’s concepts and lifestyles, including housing prices and long working hours, which are not conducive to childbirth. Now Taiwan’s marriageable population is about 3.2 million, and there are only more than 800,000 married people. The rate is less than 28%. He suggested strengthening the subsidy for the second child or more, or raising the salary for parental leave from 60% to 80%.