Taiwan's Youth Rally Against Economic Challenges: Unjust Taxation, Soaring Living Costs, and a Call for Reform

Photo:The display of impactful photographs portraying deceased family members and friends is to stir the consciences of government officials, advocate for tax reform, and champion a fairer country that upholds human rights.

 

 

(Dec. 23, Taipei) In a poignant demonstration on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, tens of thousands of Taiwanese youth gathered at Ketagalan Avenue to voice their concerns about the pressing issues of low wages, inflation, and exorbitant housing prices. Faced with these challenges, many young individuals feel compelled to postpone marriage and parenthood in order to maintain a minimal standard of living.

 

The rally, aptly named "Refuse to Lie Down and Give Me My Future | Rescue Taiwan at the Critical Moment ~ Pack Up Your Bed Together! Wander to Ketagalan Avenue!" also brought attention to the unjust tax case endured by Tai Ji Men dizi for an astonishing 27 years. The protesters, holding photos of deceased relatives and friends who faced the same tax injustice, aimed to awaken the conscience of officials, promote tax reform, and create a more just tax-empowered human rights country.

Photo :Legal experts stress the urgent need for transparent tax reform to alleviate the strain on corporate capital and foster a more favorable economic environment.

 

Motivated by a quest for bonuses, Taiwan's tax and enforcement authorities have been implicated in the illicit auctioning of falsified tax returns and the confiscation of designated land from the Tai Ji Men Cultivation Taoist place. In response, Tai Ji Men dizi and supporters, grappling with the deprivation of their human rights, are taking a poignant stand. Through the display of impactful photographs portraying deceased family members and friends victimized by these actions, their objective is to stir the consciences of government officials, advocate for tax reform, and champion a fairer country that upholds human rights. 

 

As Taiwan approaches its 2024 election, concerns about the influence of upper echelons and the mismanagement of tax revenues cast a shadow, painting a bleak picture of bureaucratic overreach, economic decline, and a younger generation hesitant to embrace marriage or start families.

 

The poignant narrative of an elderly woman encapsulates a profound aspiration. Until her passing last year at the age of 90, she consistently engaged in multiple initiatives opposing the perceived irrationality of the IRS, passionately elucidating the inequities of the tax system to anyone who crossed her path. Her active involvement in the forum conveyed solidarity with the experts and scholars present, and her endeavors mirrored a sincere lament for the lingering, unresolved tax cases at the time of her demise.

Photo :Taiwanese youth gathered to voice their concerns about the pressing issues of low wages, inflation, and exorbitant housing prices. The protest also brought attention to the unjust tax case endured by Tai Ji Men dizi for an astonishing 27 years 

 

Taiwan is not exempt from the global economic downturn in 2023, and the revelation of an estimated NT$370 billion (about US$12.2 billion) in excess tax revenue, of undisclosed origin and purpose, prompts questions about potential tax evasion. Complex tax laws are adversely impacting businesses, resulting in mismanagement and widespread unemployment. Combined with low wages, inflation, and unaffordable housing, the younger generation is delaying significant life decisions, contributing to a demographic crisis that poses a tsunami-like threat to national security.

 

Amidst this challenging scenario, young people are confronted with a disheartening reality: citizens endure hardship, bureaucrats face excessive taxation, and annual bonuses for officials surpass an astonishing NT$300 million. Legal experts stress the urgent need for transparent tax reform to alleviate the strain on corporate capital and foster a more favorable economic environment. There is a growing demand for reforms that will pave the way for a brighter and fairer future for Taiwan's young generation.

 

source: 
Global People Daily News