City-directed construction of the Taipei Twin Towers project is the only way to ensure the project’s completion, Taipei Deputy Mayor Chang Chin-oh (張金鶚) said yesterday.
Independent Taipei mayoral candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) earlier said the city’s construction plan was wasteful because the city government lacks the funds and skilled personnel necessary to successfully complete the project.
The Taipei Twin Towers project is one of the largest construction projects in the city’s history, consisting of two skyscrapers to be built over the Taipei station of the future Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport line. After a series of corruption scandals forced the project’s initial winning bidder to withdraw and the second bidder, BES Engineering Corp, was unable to meet new city conditions for the contract, the city last month announced that it would take over responsibility for the construction.
In response to Ko’s criticism, Chang said that city-directed construction would ensure that all profits from the project flow into city coffers, using the Chinese idiom: “Rich waters shouldn’t be allowed to flow into others’ fields” (肥水不落外人田).
“While previously the government was not able to build the project itself due to a lack of funds and experienced personnel, we’ve overcome all of these problems,” Chang said.
He said the city government’s Department of Rapid Transit Systems currently has between NT$20 billion and NT$30 billion (US$655 and US$982 million) available for the project, with further funds expected from loans and sub-contractors.
The department has also gained the necessary experience to build the towers as it constructed their foundations over the past several years, he said.
Asked whether the Taipei City Council would oppose the city’s plan, Chang said the city government would work hard to persuade city councilors.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei City Councilor Angela Ying (應曉薇) has said that the city government’s decision was meant to cover up its lapses during the bidding process.
She said that a final decision about the project’s future cannot be made until previous bidder BES Engineering’s lawsuit against the city is concluded.
City government talk of profits from the project will only hurt its chances in the courts, she added.
Hong Kong singer Eason Chan’s (陳奕迅) concerts in Kaohsiung this weekend have been postponed after he was diagnosed with Covid-19 this morning, the organizer said today. Chan’s “FEAR and DREAMS” concert which was scheduled to be held in the coming three days at the Kaohsiung Arena would be rescheduled to May 29, 30 and 31, while the three shows scheduled over the next weekend, from May 23 to 25, would be held as usual, Universal Music said in a statement. Ticket holders can apply for a full refund or attend the postponed concerts with the same seating, the organizer said. Refund arrangements would
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday called for greater cooperation between Taiwan, Lithuania and the EU to counter threats to information security, including attacks on undersea cables and other critical infrastructure. In a speech at Vilnius University in the Lithuanian capital, Tsai highlighted recent incidents in which vital undersea cables — essential for cross-border data transmission — were severed in the Taiwan Strait and the Baltic Sea over the past year. Taiwanese authorities suspect Chinese sabotage in the incidents near Taiwan’s waters, while EU leaders have said Russia is the likely culprit behind similar breaches in the Baltic. “Taiwan and our European
Taiwanese indie band Sunset Rollercoaster and South Korean outfit Hyukoh collectively received the most nominations at this year’s Golden Melody Awards, earning a total of seven nods from the jury on Wednesday. The bands collaborated on their 2024 album AAA, which received nominations for best band, best album producer, best album design and best vocal album recording. “Young Man,” a single from the album, earned nominations for song of the year and best music video, while another track, “Antenna,” also received a best music video nomination. Late Hong Kong-American singer Khalil Fong (方大同) was named the jury award winner for his 2024 album
The US Department of State on Monday reaffirmed that US policy on Taiwan remains unchanged, following US President Donald Trump’s use of the term “unification” while commenting on recent trade talks with China. Speaking at a wide-ranging press conference, Trump described what he viewed as progress in trade negotiations with China held in Geneva, Switzerland, over the weekend. “They’ve agreed to open China — fully open China, and I think it’s going to be fantastic for China. I think it’s going to be fantastic for us,” Trump said. “I think it’s going to be great for unification and peace.” Trump’s use of the
RSS