Some of the nation's top business leaders yesterday voiced strong support for the Cabinet's NT$2.6 trillion six-year national development project, aimed at turning Taiwan into a "green silicon island" -- a nation devoted to clean high-tech industries.
Morris Chang (
"I'm particularly impressed with the talent cultivation plan, because it's important to build a first-rate talent pool in the era of the knowledge-based economy," he said.
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
Stan Shih (
"It's such a good plan that the government should consider publicizing it more," he said.
Premier Yu Shyi-kun yesterday pledged to implement the project to the full after the Cabinet approved the plan.
"I'm well aware that the goals we set down are high, but we're determined to do our best to reach them, as I have confidence in the country, the Taiwanese people and the government," Yu said.
The government hopes that implementation of the project will help create 700,000 new jobs, spur Taiwan's economy to grow from the current 2.3 percent to 5 percent, decrease the unemployment rate from the current 5 percent to 4 percent and have research and development expenses take up 3 percent of GDP.
In addition, the Cabinet hopes the project will help develop at least 15 products or technologies that will rank among the world's best, double the current number of foreign tourists from 1 million to between 2 million and 5 million and increase the household use of broadband Internet services to 6 million homes.
While Vice Premier Lin Hsin-Yi (
Hu Sheng-cheng (
Chen Chi-nan (
Lin Sheng-feng (
Tsai Ching-yen (蔡清彥) is to supervise the implementation of plans to digitize Taiwan and Kuo Yao-chi (郭瑤琪), head of the Cabinet's Public Construction Commission, will oversee the nationwide mass transportation network plan.
Likening the introduction of the project to the birth of a child, Yu said he is happy to see the project come into being after 76 rounds of discussion and revision.
"We hope that with the implementation of the project, we'll be able to upgrade Taiwan's quality of life and lessen the gap between Taiwan and other developed countries," he said.
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
RSS