Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) today urged the executive and legislative branches to cooperate on promoting bills to benefit the country and its citizens this legislative session.
Cho and several ministers went to the Legislative Yuan this morning to deliver a policy report and take questions from lawmakers.
Cooperation is what people expect from the government, Cho said.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
Last year saw serious conflicts between the ruling Democratic Progressive Party and the opposition alliance of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party, he said.
In response to those issues, Cho’s report emphasized the importance of government unity and the need for all sides to cooperate for the benefit of society.
Regarding budget cuts passed by the opposition, Cho said that this year’s central government budget stood at NT$3.132 trillion (US$95.59 billion), an increase of NT$280.6 billion compared to last year.
New projects are responsible for the budget increase, he added.
As the economy is growing, the capacity of services must also increase, he said, adding that the government has an obligation to care for its citizens.
The Executive Yuan released policy priorities yesterday in advance of today’s meeting.
Taiwan must continue to play a role on the world stage while resolving five major issues, Cho said.
They are population decline, anti-crime efforts, recruitment and labor force increases, the energy transition and price stability, he said.
The government has an obligation to find new solutions to old problems and good solutions to new problems, he said.
To prepare Taiwan for its next stage, the Executive Yuan is to expand social services for young people, promote the “innovation economy,” develop sustainable green energy, promote balanced development, protect the culture and rights of minority groups, foster a new image of the country abroad and invest in strengthening its national defense, he said.
Cho also spoke on promoting policies such as promoting childcare support, expanding long-term care options, expanding cancer screenings, improving the National Health Insurance and more, among 10 new “Healthy Taiwan” initiatives.
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