TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan People's Party (TPP) presidential hopeful Ko Wen-je attended the Premium Event held by the European Chamber of Commerce Taiwan (ECCT) on Monday (Sept. 4), where he addressed matters about national defense, labor shortages, and talent retention in Taiwan.
Regarding the issue of labor shortages, Ko suggested that the simplest solution is to open Taiwan to foreign labor, with adjustments to taxation.
During the speech, Ko highlighted Taiwan's inadequate funding in healthcare investment, which currently accounts for only 6% of GDP, lower than that of Japan and South Korea.
Ko stressed the need to increase healthcare and sanitation expenditures to a target of 8% and revealed that the TPP will unveil its healthcare policy in the near future.
When asked about his stance on cross-strait relations, Ko highlighted two key approaches that he believes Taiwan should deploy toward China: "defense" and "communication." Ko believes that Taiwan should increase military expenditure to enhance the nation's defense capability while still maintaining open communication with China.
As Taiwan's 2024 election campaign goes into full swing, all presidential candidates are gearing up to demonstrate their policies to win over more hearts among the public and garner foreign support.