TAIPEI - More than 58 percent of unmarried adult office workers in Taiwan have no plans to get married, and half of couples without children do not plan have them due to economic pressures and other reasons, according to a job website survey.Job website Yes123 conducted an online survey of 1,304 adult office workers aged 20 or above in March, and collected 888 questionnaires from enterprises.Unmarried respondents cited low income levels, difficulty to find the right person, can't afford to buy a house,, want to live a free life, and insufficient saving as the main reasons for not entering marriage.Demographic data showed about 135,400 couples got married in Taiwan last year, the lowest in nine years, while 181,600 new babies were born last year, the lowest in eight years.Demographic authorities estimate Taiwan will see negative population growth in 2022 and become a super aging society by 2026. Its work force could be halved in 2065 from the level of 2018.Yes123 found 38.7 percent of office workers said they had children.Half of workers without children said it was because their current incomes could not support such plans. Some said they were work-laden and too busy to look after children. Others said they were not satisfied with the education quality and institutions in Taiwan.Analyzing the survey results, Yang Tsung-pin, spokesman for Yes123, said low salaries, long work hours, high house prices and education environment were to blame for the low birth rate.To raise a child, a couple expects to have a decent monthly household income of 102,000 new Taiwan dollars (about $3,300) on average, or about 2.45 times the average regular salary level, according to survey. recycled silicone wristbandsrubber braceletsbracelets with sayings customizehow to make your own silicone wristbands at homecustom woven friendship bracelets
Line linking Beijing, Shenyang to cut travel time nearly in half The Liaoning section of the Beijing-Shenyang high-speed railway began its first trial run on Thursday morning, testing the line's power supply equipment, according to project officials. The railway linking Beijing and Shenyang, Liaoning province, is about 700 kilometers long, and trains will run at speeds of up to 350 kilometers per hour. The line will cut travel time between Beijing and Shenyang from 4.5 hours to 2.5 hours. The project, which costs 124.5 billion yuan ($20.4 billion), was launched in July 2014 as part of the Beijing-Harbin high-speed railway. It is considered a vital link connecting Beijing with Northeast China. It is also the only part of China's high-speed rail network - comprising four north-south lines and four east-west lines - that remains unfinished. Zhang Yuehan, senior engineer of the Shenyang railway bureau's planning and statistics department, said the line would smooth transportation between Beijing and Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning provinces. The Beijing-Shenyang line will become the fastest access to the northeastern region, as the entire northeastern railway network will be interconnected with the national high-speed railway network and thus form an efficient and convenient rapid transport network, Zhang said. Wang Min, who works for an import-export company in Shenyang said, With the new train, I can go to Beijing in the morning, visit clients and return home at night. It will save me both money and time. Besides its economic benefits, the project has developed more than 70 types of new technologies and equipment to ensure high quality across the system, according to Wang Zhipeng, chief of Beijing-Shenyang HSR Liaoning Co. For example, new track plates with sensors can provide real-time monitoring. Also, 500-meter-long rail sections will reduce maintenance and improve passenger comfort. Tests of the Liaoning section are expected to be completed in the second half of this year. Workers need to inspect all systems, including rails, bridges, electrical systems and signals. The line's section in Hebei province will also be tested. Zhu Lin contributed to this story. [email protected]
