A Cabinet official of the government agency responsible for choosing the site for a controversial exhibition hall yesterday said that he prefers to build the facility somewhere outside of Taipei City.
"It's uneconomical to use most of the nation's resources to develop the capital city of Taipei and leave other counties and cities with fewer resources and less development," said Chang Jin-sheng (張景森), vice chairman of the Cabinet's Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD).
Vice Premier Lin Hsin-i (
"The entire controversy was clearly caused by wrong information," Lin said. "The need for a large exhibition hall is clear and the Ministry of Economic Affairs is evaluating the potential locations."
Lin and Chang made the remarks before attending the morning session of a two-day symposium, "Economic Strategies for Taiwan."
The event was organized by the Taiwan Thinktank (台灣智庫). Established in December 2001, Taiwan Thinktank is regarded as an influential resource of the Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) administration.
Lin also explained why the proposed project has been dragging on for nine years.
"The ministry's original plan was to use government funding to build a three-in-one complex -- an exhibition hall, a hotel and a shopping mall -- in the economic and trade park in Nankang," Lin said. "However, we'd like to see the private sector invest in the construction of the exhibition hall."
The ministry will decide in two months whether the government will build the project on its own or seek private investors to jointly accomplish it, Lin said.
The controversy broke out on Wednesday when Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (
They warned that changing the site would waste valuable resources, which the central government has already used to build infrastructure for the economic and trade park in Nankang.
The proposal, originally made by the economics ministry nine years ago, was estimated to cost a total of NT$15 billion. The ministry has spent almost NT$10 billion on preparations for construction of the center, including NT$9.3 billion on the acquisition of land.
One of the two commentators at the morning session of yesterday's symposium, Chang said that the central government has to equally distribute its resources between southern, central and northern Taiwan in order to improve the the nation's competitiveness.
"In an era of globalization, we have to make the most of our advantages and resources or we'll risk being excluded," he said.
Huang Yu-ling (黃玉霖), a professor of civil engineering at National Chiao Tung University (交通大學) who presented a research paper on the development of southern and northern Taiwan at the morning session of the symposium, proposed action plans to develop northern and southern Taiwan.
"To develop northern Taiwan, the government should expand the perimeter of the high-tech industry based in Hsinchu and Taipei and turn it into an industrial belt," he said.
In addition, the government should ensure the steady supply of water and electricity at such areas and construct a comprehensive sea, land and air transport network.
To lure and keep foreign talent in the country, Huang said, the government should create a quality working and living environment.
The government should also provide an English-learning environment for foreign professionals with children.
Finally, the government should simplify its management structure and strengthen its relations with local and regional governments.
To develop southern Taiwan, Huang said, the government should establish a quality high-tech manufacturing center, improve existing research and development facilities, create a quality living environment for high-tech professionals, and establish a free-trade transportation center and multi-functional economic and trade parks.
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