Desperate for Hookups, Taiwan Turns to Matchmaking

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PICHI CHUANG/Reuters/Corbis

All work and no dating makes for a country with not enough citizens.

So the Taiwanese Ministry of the Interior (MOI) is trying to encourage its employees to be fruitful and multiply. The government agency, which is in charge of issues relating to population, is organizing matchmaking activities for its unmarried staff, according to the BBC.

Taiwan has one of the lowest birth rates in the world, and low population growth can dampen economic health. Many of the MOI’s employees are female, so there has been discussion of minglers with the National Police Administration which has lots of unmarried male employees. In any case,  Interior Minister Jiang Yi-huah says he expects at least one event annually.”As the agency in charge of the country’s population policy, the Interior Ministry should serve as an example in boosting the birth rate,” he said.

The ministry is also offering a $30,000 prize for anyone who can come up with an innovative scheme for how to spur the birth rate. Kenny G., call your agent.