Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Taiwan needs more babies. But conservative traditions are holding back
some fertility solutions
The population of Taiwan was about 23.4 million last year and has been
declining in the last few years as the number of newborn babies shrank from
165,000 in 2020 to 135,500 in 2023. It is one of the East Asian countries whose
birth rates are much lower than 2.1, a birth rate to maintain a stable
population; South Korea’s 0.78, Taiwan’s 0.87, and Japan’s 1.26. As the
population, particularly the young people declines, the island state is now
facing shortages in labor and military. While industries like manufacturing, construction,
and agriculture, are trying to fill positions with immigrant workers, the military
hasn’t done so. As a result, the number of professional military forces
declined to 155,000 last year from 165,000 just two years ago. That’s a critical
national security concern for Taiwan as the cross-strait tension is increasing.
Will allowing same-sex couples or single women to have In-Vitro-Fertilization
(IVF) or egg-freezing help solve the fertility problem? What about artificial
reproduction for gay couples? Since Taiwan’s population is relatively small, every
newborn counts.
Read the article and learn about Taiwan’s shrinking population and potential
fertility solutions.
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