TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan People's Party (TPP) presidential candidate Ko Wen-je launched a policy initiative called the 'Strong Generation Cultural Movement' (壯世代文化運動) on Wednesday (Oct. 25).
Ko advocates for the movement to be led by the government, reframing views of the elderly population and promoting the concept of a productive 'Strong Generation'.
"We commonly refer to elderly people as 'old people,' 'the silver-haired generation,' and 'seniors.' Starting today, let's no longer use these terms and instead refer to them as the 'strong generation,' " said Ko.
By reframing the image of the elderly as a healthy, productive demographic, Ko believes it could benefit society as a whole.
This initiative aims to address Taiwan's unparalleled pace of aging, which Ko notes is the fastest globally, with elderly labor participation rates trailing other nations.
Ko plans to relax labor and financial regulations in the future, enabling willing and healthy elderly individuals to continue working.
The policy holds more significance than ever as Taiwan is on track to become a super-age society by 2050.