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Wang touts Kinmen as potential `island of gold'

Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng, center, is accompanied by local officials yesterday as he bears a shoulder pole and holds up a wide-brimmed rain hat at the opening ceremony of his KMT chairmanship campaign event. PHOTO: WU CHENG-TING, TAIPEI TIMES

Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) visited the offshore island of Kinmen yesterday and vowed to build it into an "island of gold," using its huge potential for tourism and direct flights with China.

Wang made the remarks while giving a speech during a ceremony to mark the establishment of the Kinmen chapter of Wang's supporters endorsing his bid for the chairmanship of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) in an election to be held on July 16.

Saying he has an idea of opening a "Kinmen policy study center" if he is elected KMT chairman and will push the relevant legislation at the Legislative Yuan, Wang added that Kinmen has huge potential for tourism and cross-Taiwan Strait transport.

He added that he hopes to develop the island into a tourist resort and transit hub to help improve its economy.

Should he be elected KMT chairman, Wang said, he will do his best to make Kinmen a cargo and passenger transport center, turning it into an exchange area and interaction platform for Taiwanese businesspeople operating on the two sides of the Strait.

Cargo transport links between Kinmen and the Chinese cities of Xiamen, Quanzhou and Guangzhou in nearby Fujian Province should be set up before passenger services in a blueprint for a cross-strait transport network, according to a press release made public by Wang's office.

Hoping to implement the agreement made by incumbent KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) and Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) during a landmark visit to China from April 26 to May 3, Wang firmly supports direct flights between Kinmen and Fujian to attract Chinese tourists to Taiwan and help Taiwanese farmers export their produce to China, the press release said.

Kinmen has maintained shipping services with Xiamen since the beginning of 2001, commonly known as the "small three links" that also include ferry links between the Taiwan-controlled island of Matsu and the port of Mawei in Fujian.

Meanwhile, Wang Chih-kang (王志剛), a former minister of economic affairs who serves as the chief delegate on Wang's campaign team, claimed that Wang's chairmanship will help the KMT boost its chances in the 2008 presidential election.

Wang Chih-kang called on KMT members to back Wang because it was "necessary" for the sake of the KMT and the 2008 presidential race and to secure the interests of the Republic of China.

Stressing that Wang will follow Lien's anti-independence line, Wang Chih-kang said that the KMT needs Wang to help resolve the many problems facing the party, adding that "helping the KMT win is helping the ROC win."
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