The Kinmen Bridge is scheduled to be opened by the middle of 2021, Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said on Saturday, adding that it would be the pride of Taiwanese and residents of the outlying county.
Lin made the statement after watching Freeway Bureau personnel finish installing the last pile for the bridge, which connects the main Kinmen island and Leiyu Township (烈嶼, on Lesser Kinmen).
He is glad that close to 50 percent of the construction has been completed, he said, adding that he had said in May that he would revisit Kinmen when that mark was reached.
Photo courtesy of the Kinmen County government
Little did he know that a lot has been accomplished in the past three months, particularly construction in the deep-water zone, Lin said.
Kinmen County Commissioner Yang Cheng-wu (楊鎮浯) of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) said that construction experts from Taiwan, South Korea and Hong Kong have worked on the bridge.
The county would have a completed transport system once it is opened, Yang said.
Taiwan is also building Tamkang Bridge in New Taipei City, a bridge connecting two major islands in Lienchiang County (Matsu) and reconstructing the Penghu Trans-Oceanic Bridge, Lin said.
These projects could use the technology applied in the construction of the Kinmen Bridge, Lin said, adding that the technology could be exported for construction projects in Southeast and South Asian nations.
The Kinmen Bridge would help connect the two islands in every way, he said.
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
PAWSITIVE IMPACT: A shop owner said that while he adopted cats to take care of rodents, they have also attracted younger visitors who also buy his dried goods In Taipei’s Dadaocheng (大稻埕), cats lounging in shops along Dihua Street do more than nap amid the scent of dried seafood. Many have become beloved fixtures who double as photography models, attracting visitors and helping boost sales in one of the capital’s most historic quarters. A recent photo contest featuring more than a dozen shop cats drew more than 2,200 submissions, turning everyday cat-spotting into a friendly competition that attracted amateur and professional photographers. “It’s rare to see cats standing, so when it suddenly did, it felt like a lucky cat,” said Sabrina Hsu (徐淳蔚), who won the NT$10,000 top prize in