TAIPEI (TVBS News) — A Taiwan People's Party (TPP, 民眾黨) legislator criticized Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨) legislators on Monday (Dec. 2) for opposing discussions on surrogacy. TPP Legislator Chen Gau-Tzu (陳昭姿) emphasized that without discussion, there is no democracy, highlighting the need for inclusive dialogue on this contentious issue.
The Legislative Yuan (立法院) plans to review amendments to the Assisted Reproduction Act (人工生殖法) on Thursday. DPP legislators have united to defend women's bodily autonomy and advocate for specific laws regulating surrogacy. Chen criticized the DPP's stance, accusing them of ignoring the reproductive needs of heterosexual couples and male same-sex couples and labeling their actions as inconsistent.
Chen underscored that surrogacy has been extensively studied domestically and internationally, with numerous polls and civic meetings. She accused the DPP of disregarding public opinion. Chen also questioned whether ideological or factional conflicts influence the DPP's understanding and advancement of national policies, noting that DPP legislator Wu Ping-jui (吳秉叡) proposed including surrogacy in the Assisted Reproduction Act amendments in 2020.
According to Chen, the DPP's narrative misleads the public by omitting the TPP's version of the amendments, which emphasize informed consent for surrogate mothers and the welfare of children. She praised Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) Legislator Su Ching-chuan (蘇清泉) for scheduling the review and committed to gathering diverse opinions to support LGBTQ+ individuals and those struggling with infertility.
