As a science-based industrial park is to be set up in Taichung, the idea of establishing a defense-oriented industrial park in the region has become more urgent for local people working in related businesses.
The defense-oriented industrial park was initially expected to be part of the science-based industrial park, the third of its kind in the country, but the plan failed to materialize after many more companies than expected applied for a place in the park.
The planned location of the defense industry park has thus been changed from Taichung City to somewhere north of the city, which roughly falls into the category of the greater Taichung area.
A local defense-industry association, which has over 30 defense-related companies as its members, has been pushing for the project for several years.
Orion Chang (
The association he has headed since last year was initially affiliated with the state-run Aerospace Industry Development Corporation (AIDC) but has gradually cut off the relation to become independent and self-reliant.
"The idea of establishing a defense industry park in central parts of the country comes from the recognition of central Taiwan as the most developed area in the country as far as precision machinery and other industries related to defense are concerned," Chang said.
"Our idea is to combine all the defense resources in the region to form a link with those available in northern Taiwan, establishing a `defense line' along the western corridor of the country," he said.
"The central government has agreed to buy a 100-hectare piece of land north of Taichung as the site for the defense industry park. They have been convinced by us of the necessity of the effort," Chang said.
"The park is scheduled to house 60 to 70 defense-related companies. Paperwork for the project has already begun. If everything goes as planned, the park can start accepting applications from interested companies next year, he said"
Having signed a contract with the central government on the project, Chang said he could not go into details about the park because certain clauses in the contract are confidential.
The exact location of the park could not be made public yet. Early disclosure of the site might have negative effects on the project, Chang said.
An official with the AIDC, who is well aware of the defense industry park project, expressed some doubts about the plan when he was asked for his comments.
"Whether the plan will succeed will depend on the attitude of the Ministry of National Defense (MND). The central government department that is dealing with the project has yet to ask for cooperation from the MND," the official said.
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
A magnitude 4.1 earthquake struck eastern Taiwan's Hualien County at 2:23pm today, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA). The epicenter of the temblor was 5.4 kilometers northeast of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 34.9 km, according to the CWA. The earthquake's intensity, which gauges the actual effect of a temblor, was the highest in Hualien County, where it measured 2 on Taiwan's 7-tier intensity scale. The quake also measured an intensity of 1 in Yilan county, Taichung, Nantou County, Changhua County and Yunlin County, the CWA said. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by
RSS