Formosa Group president Wang Yung-ching (王永慶) confirmed yesterday that he was postponing a project to build three hospitals in China because of resistance from the Beijing authorities.
"They certainly welcome my project, but they need some more time for further preparation," Wang said in an interview with TVBS.
Asked what his next step will be, Wang said, "Let's see. Maybe next time. But if my plan is realized, the medical center built in China would be bigger than any in Taiwan," he said.
Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, a subsidiary of Formosa, had planned to build a medical center in Beijing and one each in Xiamen and Fuzhou with a total investment of NT$15 billion (US$440.4 million).
According to Formosa's plan, the Beijing medical center would have been the biggest, with between 3,000 and 5,000 beds.
Once completed, it would not only have been the largest hospital in China, but also one of the biggest hospitals in Asia.
Earlier speculation suggested Chinese authorities blocked the projects on the grounds that the law does not allow 100-percent foreign ownership of hospitals.
But reports said that the key factor behind the rejection was the fear that Chang Gung, with its deep financial and medical resources, could win a big slice of the Chinese market.
Earlier reports also said officials in Beijing did not want to take responsibility for approving the projects ahead of the Chi-nese Communist Party's 16th National Congress, which ended yesterday.
The Chang Gung group owns five medical centers in Taiwan -- in Keelung, Taipei, Linkou, Chiayi and Kaohsiung.
Wang has previously said that his investment in a Fujian Province power plant was a mistake.
The US House of Representatives yesterday passed the PROTECT Taiwan Act, which stipulates that Washington would exclude China from participating in major global financial organizations if its actions directly threaten Taiwan’s security. The bill, proposed by Republican US Representative Frank Lucas, passed with 395 votes in favor and two against. It stipulates that if China’s actions pose any threat to Taiwan’s security, economic or social systems, the US would, “to the maximum extent practicable,” exclude China from international financial institutions, including the G20, the Bank for International Settlements and the Financial Stability Board. The bill makes it clear that China
Taiwan’s Li Yu-hsiang performs in the men’s singles figure skating short program at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, on Tuesday. Li finished 24th with a score of 72.41 to advance to Saturday’s free skate portion of the event. He is the first Taiwanese to qualify for the free skate of men’s singles figure skating at the Olympics since David Liu in 1992.
Garbage and recycling schedules are to vary from Saturday through Sunday next week over the Lunar New Year holiday period. The following collection information is from the governments of the six special municipalities. Taipei Regular service: Sunday to Monday next week. No service: Tuesday to Thursday next week. Extra service: Friday next week. Regular service resumes: Saturday next week. New Taipei City Extra service: Sunday. Adjusted collection time: Monday next week — garbage collection is to begin in the morning and end at 6pm. No service: Tuesday to Thursday next week. Regular service resumes: Friday next week. Note: Garbage can be dropped off at 70
The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday held a ceremony marking the delivery of its 11th Anping-class offshore patrol vessel Lanyu (蘭嶼艦), saying it would boost Taiwan’s ability to respond to Beijing’s “gray zone” tactics. Ocean Affairs Council Deputy Minister Chang Chung-Lung (張忠龍) presided over the CGA event in the Port of Kaoshiung. Representatives of the National Security Council also attended the event. Designed for long-range and protracted patrol operations at sea, the Lanyu is a 65.4m-long and 14.8m-wide ship with a top speed of 44 knots (81.5kph) and a cruising range of 2,000 nautical miles (3704km). The vessel is equipped with a
RSS