Flat panel maker AU Optronics Corp (AUO, 友達光電) said on Sunday that it hopes disputes over the Central Taiwan Science Park could be resolved through a land swap.
Chairman Lee Kun-yao (李焜耀) said the National Science Council (NSC) would adjust its plan for the development of the park’s fourth phase by proposing a land swap with farmers whose land has been expropriated by the government.
Lee said he hoped such a swap would resolve the environmental protection disputes embroiling the park in Erlin (二林), Changhua County, where AUO wants to build two 11th-generation flat panel plants and solar energy facilities.
HOPEFUL
The farmers have refused to accept the government’s compensation offer, saying that they want to continuing farming on their land.
Last month, the Taipei High Administrative Court ordered the suspension of the development of the third and fourth phases of the park after residents sued the government for failing to present a reliable environmental impact assessment for the development.
The government has appealed the court’s decision.
Meanwhile, the government has allowed those investors who are already operating facilities in the third development phase to continue operations despite the court order.
AU Optronics has finished construction of an 8.5th-generation plant in the third phase, located in Taichung County’s Houli Township (后里), and is scheduled to install production equipment by the end of this year.
Lee said the new plant would become operational next year with an initial monthly production capacity of 45,000 units.
The company also plans to build another 8.5th-generation plant in Houli.
COURT CASE A HARDSHIP
Meanwhile, Lee said an Aug. 19 US district court order barring two AU Optronics executives and a former executive from leaving California was inhumane, because it means two of the men cannot care for their sick parents in Taiwan.
The trio had gone to San Francisco last month to fight charges brought by the US Department of Justice that AU Optronics was involved in a price-fixing conspiracy with other Asian LCD makers between 2001 and 2006.
Although AU Optronics has assigned other executives to shoulder the absent executives’ workloads, its operations would be affected in the long run, Lee said.
AU Optronics has steadfastly denied the accusations and has vowed to fight the charges.
The other six firms indicted in the case in June have already pleaded guilty in plea-bargain deals to avoid long trials, including two Taiwanese, one South Korean and three Japanese firms.
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