The odds of building a branch of the Guggenheim Museum in Taichung seem to be getting slimmer as the Executive Yuan yesterday remained evasive about whether it would take over the construction project, as the city council has proposed.
"As Taichung Mayor Jason Hu (
The Taichung City Council on Tuesday rejected the budget request for the planned museum project and passed a resolution recommending that the Executive Yuan take over the project. The council said the project would be a financial liability for the city.
Hu immediately informed the foundation of the council's decision.
The foundation is scheduled to hold a board meeting to discuss the matter on Dec. 16. Hu is also planning to visit President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) to ask for his help.
The president said yesterday that if Hu supports a pan-green victory in the legislative elections, he will meet with him sometime next week to help resolve the deadlock, unless the green camp fails to achieve a legislative majority.
Chen made the remark last night at a rally held in Taichung.
According to Chen Chi-mai, the crux of the problem lies in a proposed change of location and an initial agreement signed between the city government and the museum.
While the city had originally planned to build the museum in downtown Taichung, the city council proposed building it on the site of the Shuinan Airport, which would be relocated.
The foundation frowned on the relocation proposal, saying that if the site is changed, planning for the project would have to start all over.
Describing the cooperation agreement signed in September as "unfair" and "unfeasible," the city council said that the agreement would cause huge debts in the future.
While the museum's branch in Spain cost about NT$3 billion (US$93 million) to build, Chen Chi-mai said that the Taichung branch is estimated to cost between NT$6.4 billion and NT$8 billion.
The design fee for the project takes up 15 percent of the total construction fee, which is about 7 to 12 percent more than that of other branches around the world. The city also anticipates an annual loss of between NT$200 million and NT$400 million in operating the museum.
Chen Chi-mai said that the government has been supporting the project 100 percent and will continue to do so in the future.
"However, it's hard to imagine how the project will eventually be realized if problems with operational expenses, construction costs and other things are not solved," he said.
The development of a Taichung branch of the museum has been in the works since 2002, when Hu was running for mayor and made it one of his major campaign platforms.
Premier Yu Shyi-kun agreed on Aug. 18 last year to grant Taichung City NT$3.2 billion -- half the cost -- toward the establishment of the museum.
On Sept. 20 last year, Yu promised to fund 80 percent of the project -- which was estimated to cost NT$6.4 billion to build -- up to a limit of NT$5 billion, under the condition that the city would be responsible for the planning, operation and management of the facility.
The Council for Economic Planning and Development agreed in January this year to lend the city NT$280 million as a deposit to sign the contract and another NT$170 million in October.
A cooperation agreement was signed in September this year between the city and the foundation after reports that the foundation wanted to abort the plan.
The breakthrough came after the economic council agreed in August to earmark NT$2 billion in next year's budget to help finance the project.
The Cabinet in October earmarked NT$800 million for the branch as requested by the city. This budget is included in the Cabinet's five-year, NT$500 billion 10 Major Construction Projects package.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost