Lien proposes bigger budget for cultural affairs

The KMT's presidential candidate, Vice President Lien Chan (連戰), yesterday proposed increasing the budget for national cultural affairs to NT$10 billion from the current NT$3 billion within three years.

During a post-quake rally organized by the Cabinet-level Council for Cultural Affairs (行政院文化建設委員會), Lien announced an eight-point proposal he called "fertile culture (豐美的文化)."

Highlights of the eight points include an increase in funds for culture-related items, and the immediate establishment of a Ministry of Culture.

As for how to develop outstanding cultural and artistic figures and organizations, Lien suggested new legal provisions be drawn up to encourage the cultivation of culture and arts in Taiwan. He also advocated the amendment of regulations regarding the National Culture and Arts Foundation (國家文化藝術基金會) in an effort to make better use of the funds that are available.

Lien also said that he wanted to implement a series of national culture and arts seminars which could be co-sponsored by the government and civil organizations. In this way, he said, more facilities for the performing arts could hopefully be built.

In response, Liu San-chi, Deputy Director-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics, said it would be difficult to increase the budget immediately but that an annual incremental increase could be possible.