TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Minister of Health and Welfare (MOHW) Minister Hsueh Jui-yuan (薛瑞元) has announced the introduction of a draft amendment to the Artificial Reproduction Act, potentially ending Taiwan's ban on surrogacy motherhood.

Hsueh said passage of the amendment will finally give the public "the right to choose” surrogacy. Hsueh made his remarks to the media after appearing in the legislature on Wednesday (Nov. 8), per CNA.

The current Artificial Reproduction Act prohibits surrogacy. However, meetings by the Health Promotion Administration have been held every two to three months for the past four years to draft amendments to the law, potentially lifting the prohibition.

At the moment, three key points are still being debated. This includes custodial rights of children born to surrogates; protecting the rights of women and bodily autonomy; and protecting the rights and interests of multiple parties involved in surrogacy through contracts and regulations.

Hsueh said it will soon be up to legislators to decide the fate of surrogacy in Taiwan. Should the amendment pass the legislature, the MOHW will follow up with supporting measures that follow public opinion.

TPP presidential candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) also weighed in on the matter, speaking at a press conference outside his campaign headquarters on Tuesday (Nov. 7). Ko noted the trend of late marriage and the option of egg freezing for many women, pledging that his party would work to lift egg retrieval regulations and extend support to surrogate mothers.