The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) will reportedly hold an open tender for the right to house the Shanghai World Expo’s Taiwan Pavilion after it is taken down, upsetting Taichung City, which believed it had the inside track on the deal.
The Taichung City, Taipei County and Miaoli County governments are among 13 public and private organizations that have expressed interest in rebuilding the pavilion after it is dismantled at the conclusion of the World Expo on Oct. 31, said TAITRA, which is responsible for the pavilion.
The E-Da Theme Park in Kaohsiung, as well as cities in China’s Jiangsu and Fujian provinces and private Chinese investors have also shown an interest in hosting the structure.
With so much interest, TAITRA reportedly said it would tender the rights to the pavilion — which is shaped like a lantern and symbolizes health and happiness in traditional Taiwanese culture — leading Taichung Mayor Jason Hu (胡志強) to cry foul.
“How could it [TAITRA] break off the engagement?” Hu said, adding that Taichung had expressed interest in displaying the structure well before anybody else — even before the Shanghai Expo opened — and had been in discussions with the trade body.
Hu said the city made its intentions known in March and sent a formal letter to TAITRA expressing its interest on May 28 after being requested to do so.
The trade body responded on June 17, saying it would give the letter careful consideration.
Hu said TAITRA secretary-general Chao Yung-chuan (趙永全) visited him on June 4 and briefed him on details related to rebuilding the structure in Taichung City. Chao told him that the pavilion components could be transported back to Taiwan in the first half of next year.
Despite these exchanges, however, Taichung may not get its wish, and among those competing for the prize are figures from Hu’s own Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT).
Eric Chu (朱立倫), KMT candidate in the year-end election for mayor of Xinbei City, said he would throw his full support behind Taipei County Councilor Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋) to bid for the pavilion.
Chu said that as the pavilion is shaped like a lamp, it would be very suitable to rebuild it in Pingsi Township (平溪), which is well known for its annual sky lantern festival.
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