Print

Mail

wiki links

Taichung hopes its new airport will be only China air link

Taichung County Magistrate Huang Chung-sheng (黃仲生) and Taichung City Mayor Jason Hu (胡志強) expressed hope yesterday that, after Taichung Airport relocates to the Chingchuankang (清泉崗) military air base, it will become the only airport to serve direct cross-strait flights.

The two officials made the remarks at a seminar on relocating Taichung's airport held in the legislature. Taichung legislators from across the political spectrum as well as local business leaders attended the seminar.

Hu said that while they hope the airport will eventually become the country's third international airport, it can first be defined as the exclusive airport for direct cross-strait air links.

KMT Legislator Lu Hsiu-yen (盧秀燕) noted that Taichung's airport has a short runway and is located in a densely populated area. She also pointed out that only propeller planes can land and take off there.

Lu said that an expansion plan for the Taichung airport was finalized in 2000, when then-minister of transportation and communications Lin Feng-cheng and then minister of national defense Tang Fei (唐飛) promised that a 2,500m runway would be built for domestic civil airliners. The two promised the runway would be later extended to 3,800m for international airliners so long as it does not affect combat readiness.

The plan is for the facilities at the air base to be divided between military and civilian use.

Lu questioned why the original plan disappeared when the DPP came to power.

The Ministry of Transportation and Communications refused to clearly state its view on the subject, saying only that an assessment of the relocation plan will be unveiled by mid-June.
This story has been viewed 2324 times.