Full text of President Chen Shui-bian’s 2007 National Day Address. Vice Preside - II

In addition, following the enactment of its organic law, the Labor Pension Fund Supervisory Committee was established, whose purpose is to enable 8 million workers to share in the fruits of economic growth and enjoy greater security in post-retirement life by “holding shares in Taiwan.”

In the meantime, through cooperation between the ruling and opposition parties, the National Pension Act was enacted on July 20 of this year. It stipulates that a national pension system be launched on October 1 of next year, setting in place the final major piece of our social security network and transforming Taiwan into a modern welfare state.

Unquestionably, this is a landmark program designed to realize social fairness, justice, and solidarity. I would like to urge all of my government colleagues to complete all complementary measures, to ensure that the national pension system can be launched and become fully functional on time.

As for taking care of our farmers and fishermen, the Executive Yuan has raised the monthly payment to elderly farmers, from NT$3,000 to NT$4,000, then to NT$5,000, and recently to NT$6,000. It also approved a program for rebuilding rural villages and completed the drafting of the Farm Village Reconstruction Act. Once the law is enacted, NT$100 billion [US$3 billion] will be allotted to stimulate the rural economy, with priority given to improving the living conditions of disadvantaged citizens. Comprehensive programs will also be launched to beautify farm villages and improve their public facilities. To mitigate the impact of rising oil prices on the fishery industry, the Executive Yuan has approved a program to increase the subsidy for fishing boat fuel to 14 percent as of July 1 this year, while at the same time increasing subsidies for fishing boat insurance premiums.

With respect to helping disadvantaged groups, the Executive Yuan has also completed planning for measures to assist disadvantaged students, including tuition subsidies for children five years of age and under, and to expand assistance to the families of students of all ages. The measures will include the provisions of supplementary after-school tutoring for junior and elementary school students, as well as increased financial assistance for high school, vocational high school, technical college, and university students. An estimated 658,000 students will benefit from the new measures. Thereby, we hope to enable all young people to enjoy equal opportunity in and quality of education.

The Executive Yuan continues to provide assistance and guidance to small and medium-sized enterprises — the backbone of Taiwan’s economy with regard to finance, research and development, and management. On August 20, it appropriated NT$10 billion [US$303 million] from the National Development Fund to invest in small and medium-sized enterprises in cooperation with venture capital funds. This was the first time the National Development Fund departed from its focus on the domestic high-tech sector to invest in SMEs. It is anticipated that 1,000 enterprises will benefit and that 20,000 jobs will be created, injecting new vitality into Taiwan’s economy.

With ongoing implementation of the three-pronged policy to assist Taiwan’s central and southern areas, its middle and lower classes, and its small and medium-sized enterprises, this administration is on course to meet the goals of increasing investment in Taiwan, creating jobs, closing the gap between city and countryside, and reducing disparities of wealth. In addition to pursuing sustainable growth, we will work hard to build a “wellness economy” that accentuates Taiwanese characteristics and places emphasis on quality and human caring.

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