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Ma promises return to prosperity with a `10 projects' plan

Ending his 18-day "long stay" in central Taiwan yesterday, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said that if he were elected president he would implement "10 projects of happiness" to improve the nation's economy.

"I will bring back prosperity to Taiwan by strengthening the country and connecting it with the Asia Pacific and the international community," Ma said while addressing an economy forum in Taichung.

The 10 projects include setting up a NT$30 billion (US$900 million) tourism fund, a NT$30 billion fund for the development of local industries, opening up direct links with China, allowing more Chinese tourists to visit Taiwan, loosening the 40 percent investment limit in China, pushing for a third farmland reform, establishing a NT$150 billion fund to revive rural villages, a NT$100 billion fund to improve local finance policies, raising farming subsidies to NT$6,000 per month and connecting the Nantou-Chushan Expressway to Freeway No. 3.

Accusing the Democratic Progressive Party government of unstable politics and indecisive policies, Ma pledged to raise the economic growth rate to 6 percent and the average income per person to US$20,000 by 2011.

Ma also vowed to turn the country into a global innovation center and the headquarters for Taiwanese businesses in China.

To achieve development in central Taiwan, Ma promised to push for the merging of Taichung City and Taichung County and to establish a Taichung branch of the Industrial Technology Research Institute located in Nangang.

Ma said he would support an expansion project for Taichung Airport and turn it into an international flight center connecting major airports in East Asia, South Asia and China to boost tourism and economic development in central Taiwan.

Confident that his economic policy would raise the nation's competitiveness, Ma expressed regret at FedEx Corporation's decision to end its operations at Kaohsiung Airport, while criticizing the government's "closed-door policy," which he said forced many international corporations to leave Taiwan.

"If Kaohsiung Airport provided direct flight service throughout Asia, I believe FedEx would not have to leave ... The KMT will invite the company to do business again in Taiwan after regaining power," he added.
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