President Chen Shui-bian (
The president made the remarks while inspecting a flood control construction project at the Tali River (
The flood-control plan was drafted by the Cabinet in March and aims to resolve problems that have plagued Taiwan for several decades, including landslides, mudslides and flooding from heavy rains or tropical storms.
"I hope that the bill can be passed in the legislature, regardless of partisanship, as it is the common wish of everyone," Chen said.
As the Tali River project is part of the flood-control plan, Chen said that the plan is closely related to the development of central Taichung.
PRECEDENT
"It took the government NT$30 billion to regulate the Keelung River system in the past and thus solved the flooding problem in Northern Taiwan," the president said.
"Now we need the NT$80 billion flood-control plan to continue controls on the Tali river," he said.
After inspecting the river project, Chen attended the inauguration of an information technology show in Taichung City and donated NT$600,000 -- raised from the auction of computers, to the Taichung Life Association (
DEVELOPMENT
Chen said that the development of information technology, along with the establishment of the Taichung Science Park (
"In terms of the growth rate of the population, while the rate has decreased in Taipei City and remained the same in Kaohsiung City over the past five years, it increased in Taichung City during the same period," Chen said.
"Furthermore, in terms of the workforce participation rate, while the rate has increased from 56.8 percent to 58.7 percent over the past three years, the rate in Taipei and Kaohsiung stayed at the level of 55.8 percent," Chen said.
SITUATION IMPROVING
"The figures show that the development of Taichung has transcended that of the two special municipalities [Taipei and Kao-hsiung]," he said.
The development of central Taiwan had previously been ignored, with the government investing little in the area.
"The situation has improved in recent years, which is a very consoling thing," Chen said.
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