A free economic zone would completely transform Kaohsiung’s economy, Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) said yesterday.
Han elaborated on his proposal to create a free economic zone in the city at a 23-minute Facebook livestream that began at about 3pm.
It would loosen restrictions in areas such as talent, funds, raw materials and industry, and connect Kaohsiung with the rest of the world with regards to talent, funds and information, he said.
Photo: Ko Yu-hao, Taipei Times
Han urged the Executive Yuan to choose Kaohsiung as the place to set up a free economic zone, saying that former Kaohsiung mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) and former Tainan mayor William Lai (賴清德) had proposed similar projects.
Han also responded to criticism that his proposal was unclear, in an apparent reference to his exchange with New Power Party Kaohsiung City Councilor Huang Jie (黃捷) at the Kaohsiung City Council on Friday.
As mayor, much of his job requires him to delegate tasks to others, he said, adding that he is simply voicing the need for Kaohsiung’s economy to be completely transformed.
While he welcomes city councilors’ questions about his policies, he finds it unnecessary for them to intentionally make things difficult for the city government, he said.
Han addressed comments that it was “lame” that he talks every day about making Kaohsiung rich.
He is in a hurry to make the city rich, because its finances are tight, he said.
The city’s expenditures this year are projected at NT$133.4 billion (US$4.32 billion) and its revenues at NT$127 billion, leading to a gap of nearly NT$6.5 billion, he said, citing the Kaohsiung City Government budget.
The city also has a debt of nearly NT$330 billion, the highest of the six special municipalities, Han said.
If the city does not make money, it will go bankrupt, he said.
He did not borrow the money that the city owes, but he is carrying the debt on his shoulders, Han added.
Huang later wrote on Facebook that mayors should be subject to city residents’ supervision not through a livestream, but through the city council.
As a citizen, she cannot accept Han avoiding a city councilor’s question and passing the responsibility on to his subordinates at the city council, only to report on his policies in a livestream after the fact, she said.
Instead of complaining to Kaohsiung residents about the financial problems left from previous administrations, Han should be telling them what the solution is, Huang added.
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