Taipei - Taiwan will consider decriminalizing prostitution and shift its administrative efforts to preventing disease from the sex trade on the island, a senior official said Wednesday.

"Premier Liu Chao-shiuan has decided in principle to decriminalize sex workers based on upholding the working and human rights of those people," said Jiang Yi-huah, minister of the Research, Development and Evaluation Commission, at a news conference.

He said current regulations that punish only prostitutes but not clients have long been criticized by civil rights groups in Taiwan.

He said the Cabinet met Wednesday to discuss giving priority to preventing the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

Jiang said the prime minister instructed authorities to work out appropriate regulations for the decriminalization of prostitution within six months.

There have been proposals from local rights groups to set aside special districts to confine the sex trade for better monitoring.

Currently, prostitutes face detention of three days or a fine of up to 30,000 Taiwan dollars (888 US dollars) if caught, while their clients go unpunished. The Collective of Sex Workers and Supporters estimates there are more than 600,000 prostitutes in the country. (dpa)