Several European businesses were considering more investment in Kaohsiung yesterday after Mayor Frank Hsieh (
"Frank Hsieh has a vision and he did a good job of getting that across," said Dirk Saenger, chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce in Taipei (ECCT), and head of a 37-member team of European business leaders which was invited to Kaohsiung -- which Hsieh has dubbed the maritime capital of the nation -- on Thursday for a one-day fact-finding tour.
"I generally believe that with the new free-port zone, the surrounding harbor will attract European businesses," Saenger said.
Early last month, the legislature passed the Statute Governing the Establishment and Management of Free Trade Ports (
But the free-port plan could be held back by political wrangling.
"Kaohsiung is changing rapidly, and we all welcome that," said ECCT chief executive officer Guy Wittich.
"But how fast can the development happen and how can central and local government plans converge?" Wittich said.
Meanwhile European retailers are also close to signing contracts with Tung Li Development Co (統立開發), managers of Kaohsiung's 88,000m2 Dream Mall (統一夢公園) complex, Saenger said without revealing the names of the companies.
Tung Li is wholly owned by the President International Development Corp (
Slated to open at the end of 2005, the Dream Mall will accommodate 1,000 retailers, a theme park, cultural and leisure facilities, and will have parking for 7,200 cars and 3,600 motorbikes, according to the government's Shopping Center Development Council.
Later phases of the complex will include office space, residential accommodation and a hotel.
The European visitors were also impressed with Kaohsiung's infrastructure plans.
"The whole infrastructure plans [that] Hsieh has are very good," Saenger said.
Kaohsiung's subway system is on track to open one year early, in 2006, Hsieh said yesterday, which should coincide with the completion of the North-South High-Speed Rail link between Taipei and Kaohsiung in 2005. Hsieh also plans to construct a light-rail system in the city, which is expected to attract more investment and development next to stations.
The ECCT delegation is the first of many planned by the Hsieh administration.
"We have invited the representative offices from the various state governments of the United Sates, and also the Foreign Correspondents' Club," said Eli Chiu (
"The main aim is to show firms the changes Kaohsiung is undergoing and to encourage firms to locate in Kaohsiung," he said.
With the establishment of the free port, there are many opportunities in the harbor area, Chiu said.
Culture has not been neglected with the inauguration of the Kaohsiung Film Museum in a renovated building and the cleaning up of the Love River and adjacent parks, he added.
The delegation's tour was the third contact between the ECCT and Hsieh in the past eight months.
Since the initial contact, at least one ECCT member has set up in Kaohsiung. In April, express company DHL Taiwan Corp opened a new NT$30 million service center in the Taisugar Logistics Park.
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