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Minister backs NT$5 million video

Government Information Office (GIO) Minister Su Jun-pin (蘇俊賓) yesterday defended the GIO’s plan to spend NT$5 million (US$153,600) to produce a new official national anthem video to mark the 100th anniversary of the Republic of China.

“The current official national anthem video was produced 10 years ago. It’s a shame that when people watch the video they are seeing scenes of what the country was like 10 years ago,” Su said.

He was responding to criticism leveled at the GIO by some lawmakers when they screened the GIO’s budget request in the legislature’s Education and Culture Committee on Monday.

Su said the new video would include footage that will advertise the country’s beauty, promote its achievements in technology, medicine and environmental protection, as well as showcasing Taiwanese people’s values and goals, while reflecting prosperity and pride in Taiwan.

Dismissing criticism that spending NT$5 million on a music video that lasts between two and three minutes was extravagant, Su said it was a reasonable price, as NT$2.8 million would be used to produce the video while the rest would be used to make and distribute 35mm copies of the video.

“Is NT$5 million too much? It cost NT$7.5 million to produce the national anthem video in 1991, NT$6 million in 1993, NT$4 million in 1995 and NT$5.8 million in 1996. It cost NT$1 million in 2001 merely to edit existing footage,” Su said.
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