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Industrial and Commercial Times, January 12, 2008
[By Yu Guoqin / Taipei Report]
The Ministry of the Interior pointed out yesterday that due to the declining number of births in Taiwan, the average number of children born to each woman of childbearing age has dropped to 1.1. This "total fertility rate" is not only lower than that of the United States and Japan but also lags behind countries like France and the UK, where population growth was once nearly stagnant but now have fertility rates exceeding 1.8. Taiwan's fertility rate has fallen behind that of advanced countries in the US and Europe.
Officials from the Ministry of the Interior stated that Taiwan's newborn population had previously been sustained by foreign brides, maintaining an annual figure of over 200,000. However, in recent years, foreign brides have also come to realize that while having children is easy, raising them is difficult. As a result, their willingness to have children has significantly declined, making it difficult to support domestic population growth.
Generally speaking, to maintain stable population growth, a couple should have two children in their lifetime to ensure stable intergenerational population growth. However, in Taiwan, the average number of children per couple is only 1.1. This total fertility rate is far below the 1.7 recorded a decade ago and continues to hit new lows each year.
Officials from the Ministry of the Interior noted that Europe was once the region with the most severe population stagnation. However, in recent years, European countries have implemented policies such as free education from elementary school to university to encourage young couples to have children. As a result, the birth rates in EU countries, including the UK and France, have risen to over 12 per thousand, with total fertility rates exceeding 1.8, far surpassing Taiwan's.
In recent years, although the Taiwanese government has introduced policies such as childcare subsidies and mortgage subsidies, the incentives are clearly insufficient, leading to a continued decline in the fertility rate. Officials from the Ministry of the Interior stated that EU countries allocate substantial budgets to increase fertility rates. However, given Taiwan's current financial constraints, it would be difficult to follow the EU's example.
Source: http:/ / news. chinatimes. com/ C……0601+122008011200517,00. html
2008/01/12 15:35
Taiwan's Birth Rate Lower Than US, Japan
[By Yu Guoqin / Taipei Report]
The Ministry of the Interior pointed out yesterday that due to the declining number of births in Taiwan, the average number of children born to each woman of childbearing age has dropped to 1.1. This "total fertility rate" is not only lower than that of the United States and Japan but also lags behind countries like France and the UK, where population growth was once nearly stagnant but now have fertility rates exceeding 1.8. Taiwan's fertility rate has fallen behind that of advanced countries in the US and Europe.
Officials from the Ministry of the Interior stated that Taiwan's newborn population had previously been sustained by foreign brides, maintaining an annual figure of over 200,000. However, in recent years, foreign brides have also come to realize that while having children is easy, raising them is difficult. As a result, their willingness to have children has significantly declined, making it difficult to support domestic population growth.
Generally speaking, to maintain stable population growth, a couple should have two children in their lifetime to ensure stable intergenerational population growth. However, in Taiwan, the average number of children per couple is only 1.1. This total fertility rate is far below the 1.7 recorded a decade ago and continues to hit new lows each year.
Officials from the Ministry of the Interior noted that Europe was once the region with the most severe population stagnation. However, in recent years, European countries have implemented policies such as free education from elementary school to university to encourage young couples to have children. As a result, the birth rates in EU countries, including the UK and France, have risen to over 12 per thousand, with total fertility rates exceeding 1.8, far surpassing Taiwan's.
In recent years, although the Taiwanese government has introduced policies such as childcare subsidies and mortgage subsidies, the incentives are clearly insufficient, leading to a continued decline in the fertility rate. Officials from the Ministry of the Interior stated that EU countries allocate substantial budgets to increase fertility rates. However, given Taiwan's current financial constraints, it would be difficult to follow the EU's example.
Source: http:/ / news. chinatimes. com/ C……0601+122008011200517,00. html