Taipei, May 7 (CNA) Taiwan's outstanding national debt had increased to some NT$5.23 trillion (US$178 billion) as of April 30, rising for the sixth month in a row, according to the latest National Debt Clock data, which was renewed Monday.

The data shows that as of the end of April, the central government carried a long-term (more than one year) debt that reached NT$4.9685 trillion and a short-term debt of NT$257.1 billion.

The figures indicate that the per-capita national debt reached NT$225,000, up from NT$204,000 on Oct. 31, 2011.

National Treasury Agency officials said the debts have not broken the limitation set in the government's annual budget for the year.

Starting December 2010, Taiwan has released data on the national debt on the seventh day of each month and set up the National Debt Clock to remind government agencies to more carefully monitor their spending.

(By Eva Chao and Elizabeth Hsu)
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