The Kaohsiung City Government is seeking to transform its Cijin (旗津) island into a special tourism zone with an NT$40 billion (US$1.28 billion) development plan for a 100-hectare plot of land, a city official said yesterday.
Urban Development Planning Bureau Deputy Director Hung Shu-hui (洪曙輝) said the Sentosa-style resort plan had gotten a good response from the Tourism Bureau after it was submitted last month.
Hung said he hoped the central government would approve the project by early next year so that the city government could open bidding on it.
The Cijin tourism development plan corresponds to one of President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) “i-Taiwan 12 infrastructure projects,” Hung said, which is to transform the city into a vibrant, diverse metropolis.
The i-Taiwan projects, one of Ma’s major economic platforms, proposes putting NT$2.65 trillion in government investment into boosting the economy over the next eight years by expanding domestic demand.
Hung dismissed rumors that the 100-hectare zone would feature casinos.
“The NT$40 billion tourism development plan is aimed at creating a sound investment climate” for Cijin island to make it “both an energy effective and tourism-centered area,” he said.
Hung said the development plan will include hotels, restaurants, beach facilities, recreational areas and historical sites.
He said the Kaohsiung City Government would also promote the solar power industry in Cijin, taking advantage of the island’s sunny weather.
In the first phase of development, the city government plans to upgrade transportation to Cijin with an electric cable car, a second underwater car tunnel and a subway link, he said.
INCREASED CAPACITY: The flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays would leave Singapore in the morning and Taipei in the afternoon Singapore Airlines is adding four supplementary flights to Taipei per week until May to meet increased tourist and business travel demand, the carrier said on Friday. The addition would raise the number of weekly flights it operates to Taipei to 18, Singapore Airlines Taiwan general manager Timothy Ouyang (歐陽漢源) said. The airline has recorded a steady rise in tourist and business travel to and from Taipei, and aims to provide more flexible travel arrangements for passengers, said Ouyang, who assumed the post in July last year. From now until Saturday next week, four additional flights would depart from Singapore on Monday, Wednesday, Friday
The Ministry of National Defense yesterday reported the return of large-scale Chinese air force activities after their unexplained absence for more than two weeks, which had prompted speculation regarding Beijing’s motives. China usually sends fighter jets, drones and other military aircraft around the nation on a daily basis. Interruptions to such routine are generally caused by bad weather. The Ministry of National Defense said it had detected 26 Chinese military aircraft in the Taiwan Strait over the previous 24 hours. It last reported that many aircraft on Feb. 25, when it spotted 30 aircraft, saying Beijing was carrying out another “joint combat
Taiwan’s three major international carriers are increasing booking fees, with EVA Airways having already increased the charge to US$28 per flight segment from US$25, while China Airlines (CAL) and Starlux Airlines are set to follow suit. Booking fees are charged by airlines through a global distribution system (GDS) and passed on to passengers. Carriers that apply the fees include CAL, EVA, Starlux and Tigerair Taiwan. A GDS is a computerized network operated by a company that connects airlines with travel agents and ticketing platforms, allowing reservations to be made and processed in real time. Major players include Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport. EVA Air began
Taiwan successfully defended its women’s 540 kilogram title and won its first-ever men’s 640 kg title at the 2026 World Indoor Tug of War Championships in Taipei yesterday. In the women’s event, Taiwan’s eight-person squad reached the final following a round-robin preliminary round and semifinals featuring teams from Ukraine, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, the Basque Country and South Korea. In the finals, they swept the Basque team 2-0, giving the team composed mainly of National Taiwan Normal University students and graduates its second championship in a row, and its fourth in five years. Team captain
RSS