Hualien County Commissioner Fu Kun-chi (傅崑萁) yesterday called on Premier Lin Chuang (林全) to clarify a consensus announced by the Executive Yuan’s Eastern Taiwan Joint Services Center regarding a highway improvement project.
Fu asked whether the consensus — reached between the center and a deputy minister — was considered legally binding.
The center’s executive director Hsu Chuan-sheng (許傳盛) said that a cross-departmental meeting on Monday reached a consensus that the Suhua Highway Improvement Project would be completed by 2018 and would not be delayed or have its route changed, adding that maximum effort would be spent to conserve cultural heritage sites along the project.
The meeting was held between Hsu, Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) and Deputy Minister of Culture Yang Tzu-pao (楊子葆).
The cultural heritage site in question is the Hanben culture archeological site (漢本遺址), which on July 1 was designated as a national heritage site.
Hsu said that multiple landslides along the highway caused by Typhoon Nepartak showed that there is an urgency to meet the project’s deadline, as the highway poses a safety risk to drivers and needs greater maintenance.
The meeting concluded that the project should endeavor to minimize damage to the heritage site and maximize conservation.
However, Fu said the center has never been clear on the improvement project, adding that the county government has not clarified whether the consensus would carry legal weight.
The people in the meeting do not have adequate seniority, and Minister of Transportation and Communications Hochen Tan (賀陳旦) is known to oppose the project, Fu said, adding that the premier should clarify the Executive Yuan’s stance on the issue.
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
RSS