Taiwan’s health authority announced Wednesday that it will set up a counter low fertility office to cope with the phenomenon of the country’s low fert... Taiwan’s health authority announced Wednesday that it will set up a counter low fertility office to cope with the phenomenon of the country’s low fertility rate becoming a national security issue. (CNA photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)—Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare (MHW) announced Wednesday that it will set up an office to cope with the phenomenon of the country’s low fertility rate becoming a national security issue.

The MHW said the office will take charge of inter- ministerial discussion to come up with short, medium, and long-term goals to boost the country’s fertility rates.

MHW chief director Wang Tsung-hsi (王宗曦) said that beginning this year the number of Taiwanese citizens under 14 years old is lower than that of over 65 years old, and the phenomenon entails issues of long-term care for the elderly and low fertility which the MHW is responsible for tackling.

Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) said the MHW will set up the counter low fertility office to engage in discussion with related government agencies, taking stock of the resources each agency has, and setting up goals for different stages to boost fertility.

According to MHW statistics, the country’s total fertility level fell to below replacement-level fertility of 2.1 children per woman in 1984; by 2003, the level fell to the very low fertility of 1.23 children per woman; and by 2010 the level reached a new low of 0.895 children per woman. Now the level has rebounded back to the current 1.1 children per woman, the statistics show.

Wang said that it is hoped that the fertility rate can return to the reasonable level of 1.6 children per woman.