Premier Lai Ching-te on Friday hosted the first in a series of exchanges with business leaders aimed at gathering views and suggestions in order to shape a more responsive government. The meeting with startup entrepreneurs at Taipei’s Syntrend Creative Park demonstrated the government’s support for startups, said the premier, who framed the exchange as a chance for business people to better understand policy and for the government to listen to the concerns of the business community.

To draw visitors from new markets in countries covered by the New Southbound Policy, the government has already established targeted strategies, and continues efforts to simplify the visa process while also rolling out incentive measures and special offers.

In light of a recent cluster of measles cases, Premier Lai Ching-te on Thursday directed the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) to step up efforts to prevent the highly contagious disease while continuing to closely monitor the developing outbreak.

The World Health Organization has for years urged Member States to take action to achieve universal health coverage by 2030. Although not a WHO member, Taiwan has offered universal health coverage to our island’s 23 million citizens since 1995.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs launched its official Twitter account April 16 in Taipei City, with MOFA Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu sending the first tweet in English, Japanese and Spanish.

The 2018 India Spring Carnival wrapped up April 14 at Taipei Main Station, with nearly 1,000 participants taking part in the daylong event aimed at fostering cultural exchanges between Taiwan and the South Asian country, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Executive Yuan Minister without Portfolio and Spokesperson Hsu Kuo-yung on Sunday said that maintaining the status quo across the Taiwan Strait has been the consistent policy of the government.

An artificial intelligence-based forecasting website for influenza was jointly launched by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and Taiwan technology company Acer Inc. April 11 in Taipei City as part of government efforts to safeguard public well-being.

The majority of people support the government’s response to mainland Chinese measures aimed at draining capital, expertise and talent from Taiwan, according to a poll released April 12 by the Cabinet-level Mainland Affairs Council.

According to MOHW statistics for 2016, heart disease, cerebrovascular disease and hypertensive disease—all related to hypertension—were ranked as the second, fourth and eighth leading causes of death in Taiwan, respectively. One in every 4.5 deaths is caused by hypertensive diseases.