Changing to Gregorian calendar seen as costly

This article was published by the Taiwan Headlines on March 22, 2006. It reports that some legislators from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party recently proposed that the government should start using the Gregorian calendar, in order to be more in tune with the international community. In many aspects of life in Taiwan, the Gregorian calendar is already commonly used.

However, several lawmakers from the opposition Kuomingtang opposed such proposal. According to these lawmakers, changing the Republic of China year designation to the Gregorian calendar would cost the nation nearly NT$10 billion (US$309.59 million). The date designation on banknotes, Ids, national health insurance cards, driver's licenses, diplomas and wedding certificates, as well as other certificates, will all have to changed.

Currently, years in Taiwan are calculated from 1912 - the year the Republic of China was established. Therefore, 1912 is referred to as the first year of the ROC, 2006 is the 95th year of the ROC, and so on.

Officials from the Executive Yuan said that the government is assessing the feasibility of such a change, and will only put it into practice if the general public approves and endorses it.