Taiwan pledges to push for more physically active population

Taipei, May 22 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Thursday pledged cross-ministerial efforts to promote sports in schools and communities, as part of a broader government push to help people in Taiwan live longer and healthier lives.

Speaking at a meeting of the Presidential Office's Healthy Taiwan Promotion Committee, Lai said the government would "build a comprehensive exercise network" in Taiwan and "encourage people of all ages adopt regular workout habits."

He said the government was aiming to increase the physically active population by 15 percent by 2030, compared to 2021 levels, to help people enjoy a longer life with better overall health.

The Lai administration last year set the goal of increasing Taiwan's average life expectancy from 79 to 82 years within eight years, while reducing the proportion of unhealthy years in a person's life from 10 percent to 8 percent.

The president cited a 2021 national health survey as noting that more than half of Taiwan's population did not engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercises per week, as recommended by the World Health Organization.

"Cultivating a healthy Taiwan requires collaboration across government agencies, the private sector and the broader public," Lai said, adding that the government would foster a better environment for exercises, promote public awareness of healthy living and enhance health education.

Deputy Health Minister Chou Hao-chih (周浩志), meanwhile, outlined several measures the government was taking, including improving hiking trails, bike paths and sports facilities, as well as upgrading transportation links to make those places more accessible to the public.

The government has also planned to inject more resources to support outdoor events such as marathons, triathlons, fitness challenges and even the Matsu pilgrimage and to encourage private businesses to form sports clubs, he said.

In addition, Deputy Education Minister Chang Liao Wan-chien (張廖萬堅) said the government would expand public access to school sports fields for the public.