ROC President Ma Ying-jeou said Nov. 21 that the government will initiate a comprehensive overhaul of the nation’s social security system to ensure the needs of Taiwan’s people continue being met.
“The government has taken upon itself the challenge of proposing practical solutions and strengthening the system,” Ma said. “This is something we need to do today or else face the consequences tomorrow.”
Ma made the remarks at a Presidential Office news conference attended by Premier Sean C. Chen, Legislative Yuan President Wang Jin-pyng, Examination Yuan President Kuan Chung, and officials from related government agencies.
Reform of the social security system will be undertaken by a specially appointed Cabinet task force headed by Vice Premier Jiang Yi-huah, Ma said. The body is charged with assessing the health of Taiwan’s social security system and focusing on tackling such flaws as unequal entitlements for different professions and severance of benefits for those changing jobs, he added.
“The challenges we are faced with are brought about by Taiwan’s economic development and changes in demographics and the labor market,” Ma said.
Reducing losses and ensuring sustainable management of pension funds will be short-term priorities for the task force, the president said, adding that he expects the body to coordinate relevant government agency efforts and deliver an action plan by the beginning of next year.
“In the process, we look to gauge opinions from the opposition and private sector through meetings, public hearings and seminars.”
Echoing Ma’s remarks, Chen said the task force will produce a concrete plan and draft farsighted legislation based on the principles of fiscal stability, social security, generation fairness and sustainability.
“We don’t want to create new problems while solving the existing ones,” he said. (JSM)
Write to Rachel Chan at ccchan@mofa.gov.tw