Central Gov't Debt at NT$6.6 Trillion 中央政府債務未償還餘額 累計上看6.6兆

The Executive Yuan passed the general budget for 2023, and the central government's outstanding debt has accumulated to NT$6.6 trillion, a record high. Fiscal scholars criticized that the government's new budget is to fill Taipower's financial gap. 

The national "debt clock" at the Ministry of Finance's entrance has been changed to an electronic signboard, which shows the average debt burden per person in the form of a horse race. It dropped from NT$267,000 in June this year to NT$252,000 on Aug. 19.

Citizen: “If it is spent on social welfare and welfare is improved, then we will feel that it's worth the debt.”

The birthrate is dropping. I think the defense budget will definitely go up and we'll have to bear more debt. According to the Executive Yuan, in the 2023 general budget, a total of NT$173.6 billion will be borrowed. In addition, the government also borrowed NT$212.8 billion for the special budget. A total of NT$386.4 billion will be borrowed in next year's budget, with the government accumulating about NT$6.6 trillion in outstanding debt, a record high.

Juan Ching-hwa, Deputy Finance Minister: “The Ministry of Finance has also continued to repay debts in recent years. The rate at which that debt grows is actually under control.”

The Ministry of Economic Affairs proposed to increase Taipower's capital by NT$150 billion as part of its Stable Power Supply Infrastructure Plan, resulting in an annual increase of 6.6 percent for the government's budget. Taipower's capital increase sets a record for the largest, single capital increase in a state-owned enterprise. Scholars criticize the government's plan as equivalent to using people's taxes to subsidize big electricity consumers.

Chen Kuo-liang, Professor, Dept. of Finance, NCCU: “That's actually using people's money to subsidize big electricity consumers. Their electricity usage is a considerable cost.”

Scholars said the government needs to build and develop the economy. The budget increase every year is normal, provided that the economy also continues to grow. Taiwan has not joined the International Monetary Fund. An improper fiscal expansion will lead to bankruptcy, and there is no international organization that can assist Taiwan's economy.

財政部門口「國債鐘」，改成了電子看板，以跑馬顯示方式，秀出平均每人負擔債務，從今年6月26.7萬，降到8月19號25.2萬。

民眾說：「那如果是花在那種社福的部份上面，周邊的福利有提升，那我們就會覺得，這樣子負債變多是值得的。」

另一位民眾表示：「現在少子化，可能到時候、我覺得國防一定會往上再添加，我們要負擔的又更多了。」

根據行政院通過，2023年總預算案中，新一年總預算部份，舉借了1736億，另外，特別預算，也舉債2128億，明年預算，合計舉債3864億，累計未償還債務約6.6兆，創歷史新高。

財政部次長阮清華指出：「這幾年財政部也不斷的還債，那個債務成長的速度，其實都在控制中啦。」

另外，經濟部提出「穩定供電建設方案」，再增資台電1500億，導致歲出，上升6.6%，創國營事業，單次最大規模增資紀錄。學者批評政府，等於用民脂民膏，補貼用電大戶。

政大財政系教授陳國樑說：「那其實是用民脂民膏，去撥補就是一些用電大戶，他們在用電這個地方的就是支出。」

學者表示，政府需要建設開發，發展經濟，預算每年提升，是正常現象，前提是經濟也不斷成長，但也提醒台灣沒有加入國際貨幣組織，若財政不當擴張，導致破產，沒有任何國際組織，可援助台灣經濟。