The Taipei City Government will “definitely not” subsidize Taipei 101’s year-end firework show, city officials said yesterday at a Taipei City Council question-and-answer session.
Taipei Department of Tourism and Information Commissioner Chien Yu-yan (簡余晏) and Taipei Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner Chung Yung-feng (鍾永豐) rejected the possibility when asked by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei City Councilor Wang Wei-chung (王威中) to respond to Taipei 101’s request that the municipal government help fund the fireworks show.
Taipei 101 spokesman Michael Liu (劉家豪) on Wednesday told reporters that progress on fundraising for the event, which bears a NT$45 million (US$1.43 million) price tag, had been slow.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
A number of directors proposed at a board meeting to ask the city government for funds, Liu said, adding that such a proposal was “unprecedented.”
Liu said that Taipei 101 began soliciting sponsorship for the show in June, but has been met with indifference.
In August the company turned to government agencies, including the Taipei Department of Tourism and Information and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, in the hope of raising money, Liu said.
The department turned down the request, citing a limited budget, he said.
The Taipei City Government has never subsidized the fireworks, Chien said yesterday, adding that she has accompanied Taipei 101 employees to solicit subsidies from stores in the Xinyi District (信義) commercial zone.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Su Jain-rong (蘇建榮) fielded questions from lawmakers about the fireworks show at a meeting of the legislature’s Finance Committee.
Several legislators asked Su whether the fireworks show would proceed as scheduled, quoting Minister of Economic Affairs Sheu Yu-jer (許虞哲), who last week said that funding for the event would not be a problem and that the show would not be downsized or toned down.
The fireworks show would be held as planned, Su said, adding that the ministry would assist Taipei 101 to raise funds.
Additional reporting by Sean Lin
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