Chen pledges to stabilize manufacturers' utilities

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said yesterday that Taiwan will establish a world-class investment environment so that manufacturers will not have to worry about water and electricity supplies.

The president made the remarks while attending a ceremony marking the completion of the extrahigh-voltage electrical substation in the Tainan Science-based Industrial Park (台南科學園區) in southern Taiwan.

Chen was accompanied by National Science Council Vice Chairman Hsieh Chin-chih (謝清志), DPP lawmakers Ho Shui-sheng (侯水盛) and Cheng Kuo-chung (鄭國忠), and Tainan County Commissioner Su Huan-chi (蘇煥智).

Chen, who praised Taiwan Power Co (台電) for its efforts in completing the substation, said the Tainan science park was one of the major projects of the nation's economic stimulus plan as well as a major step in turning Taiwan into a green silicon island.

This will help boost the high-tech industrial development of the nation in the same way that the Hsinchu Science-based Industrial Park (新竹科學園區) in northern Taiwan has, he said.

The extrahigh-voltage substation, the third indoor one built in Taiwan, cost NT$3.28 billion.

The president said it was significant that this substation had been built to harmonize with its natural surroundings, in contrast with other functional structures that have clashed with the landscape.

The president said that Tai-wan, as an export-oriented country, would have to strengthen its economy to upgrade national competitiveness.

He said the completion of the substation will not only provide a steady supply of power to the manufacturers in the park, but will help draw new companies to the park and create job opportunities.