Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei City Councilors yesterday blasted Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) for failing to convince President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) to focus more on Taipei in his i-Taiwan 12 infrastructure projects.
The councilors said they were worried that Taipei City’s competitiveness would suffer at the expense of Taoyuan County and Taichung City and accused the Taipei City Government of being passive on the matter.
The i-Taiwan projects, one of Ma’s major economic platforms, proposes putting NT$2.65 trillion (US$81 billion) in government investment over the next eight years into boosting the economy by expanding domestic demand.
Ma promised to invest in cities including Kaohsiung, Taichung and Taoyuan and turn them into major transportation hubs.
Construction projects involving Taipei City make up 5 percent of the proposal, DPP Taipei City Councilor Wu Su-yao (吳思瑤) said.
“As the mayor of the nation’s capital city and one of the KMT’s big names, you failed to seize this opportunity and work for the best interests of Taipei residents,” Wu said at a question-and-answer session at the Taipei City Council.
The projects include building and linking rapid transit networks in cities and counties across the country, turning Kaohsiung into a tariff-free port and eco-park, turning Taichung into an Asia-Pacific maritime and air logistics center and turning Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport into an “airport city.”
The proposal earmarks NT$130 billion for projects in Taipei City, while Taichung City will receive NT$200 billion and Taoyuan County NT$220 billion, Wu said.
DPP Taipei City Councilor Chou Wei-yu (周威佑) condemned Hau for putting less effort into raising the city’s competitiveness than other KMT local government heads have, including Taichung Mayor Jason Hu (胡志強) and Taoyuan County Commissioner Chu Li-lun (朱立倫).
“You are supposed to be one of the KMT’s four big names along with Hu, Chu and KMT Secretary-General Wu Den-yi (吳敦義), but you did not take the chance to seek more for Taipei residents,” Chou said.
Hau dismissed the criticism, saying that some of the projects in Ma’s platform required cross-city cooperation. About NT$70 billion of the i-Taiwan budget would be given to Taipei City for the construction of MRT lines, he said.
DPP Taipei City Councilor Chien Yu-yen (簡余宴) urged Hau to spend more time focusing on the city’s development and look for solutions to problematic projects such as the unpopular Longshan Temple Underground Shopping Mall.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man