Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) yesterday called for improvements of facilities along popular bicycle routes nationwide to prepare for the Ministry of Transportation and Communications “year of bicycle tourism” campaign next year.
Su made the remarks during the weekly Cabinet meeting in Taipei, evaluating the expansion of the nation’s bicycle route network from 2002 to 2018, during which 7,500km of bicycle trails were built.
However, it is not the length of routes, but the quality of facilities that matters, Su said, adding that it is also important that public transportation systems allow passengers to carry bicycles on trains and buses.
Photo: CNA
Su also highlighted public bicycle services, such as YouBike, that allow people to rent bicycles and return them at another location, saying that the services should expand.
The central role of bicycles during the early stages of the nation’s economic development are ingrained in the nation’s collective memory, including his own, Su said.
As a lifelong bicycle enthusiast, he finished his first round-island trip on a borrowed bicycle short after graduating from university, he said.
During his first term as premier from 2006 to 2007, he had made May 5 the nation’s Bicycle Day, leading the UN by more than a decade in proclaiming a day dedicated to cycling, Su said.
In September last year, he introduced a NT$1.6 billion (US$54.2 million at the current exchange rates) project to improve bicycle trails nationwide over the course of four years, he said.
However, further improvement is necessary to attract foreign visitors after the COVID-19 pandemic by creating a solid “bicycle network,” he said.
Bicycle trails and policies are governed by different agencies, with the round-nation trail managed by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the promotion of leisure activities and tourism managed by the Sports Administration and the Environmental Protection Administration, while the planning of urban bicycle routes is overseen by the Construction and Planning Agency, the premier said.
All agencies should coordinate their efforts and work with local governments to improve public health and local economies, and boost tourism, he added.
Su said that he envisions Taiwan becoming “a kingdom of bicycle tourism,” with international cycling events and opportunities for bicycle tourists to explore the nation.
He would try to find the time soon to go cycling to inspect the state of the nation’s bicycle infrastructure soon, he added.
Taiwan has received more than US$70 million in royalties as of the end of last year from developing the F-16V jet as countries worldwide purchase or upgrade to this popular model, government and military officials said on Saturday. Taiwan funded the development of the F-16V jet and ended up the sole investor as other countries withdrew from the program. Now the F-16V is increasingly popular and countries must pay Taiwan a percentage in royalties when they purchase new F-16V aircraft or upgrade older F-16 models. The next five years are expected to be the peak for these royalties, with Taiwan potentially earning
STAY IN YOUR LANE: As the US and Israel attack Iran, the ministry has warned China not to overstep by including Taiwanese citizens in its evacuation orders The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday rebuked a statement by China’s embassy in Israel that it would evacuate Taiwanese holders of Chinese travel documents from Israel amid the latter’s escalating conflict with Iran. Tensions have risen across the Middle East in the wake of US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran beginning Saturday. China subsequently issued an evacuation notice for its citizens. In a news release, the Chinese embassy in Israel said holders of “Taiwan compatriot permits (台胞證)” issued to Taiwanese nationals by Chinese authorities for travel to China — could register for evacuation to Egypt. In Taipei, the ministry yesterday said Taiwan
‘LIKE-MINDED PARTNER’: Tako van Popta said it would be inappropriate to delay signing the deal with Taiwan because of China, adding he would promote the issue Canadian senators have stressed Taiwan’s importance for international trade and expressed enthusiasm for ensuring the Taiwan-Canada trade cooperation framework agreement is implemented this year. Representative to Canada Harry Tseng (曾厚仁) in an interview with the Central News Agency (CNA) said he was increasingly uneasy about Ottawa’s delays in signing the agreement, especially as Ottawa has warmed toward Beijing. There are “no negotiations left. Not only [is it] initialed, we have three versions of the text ready: English, French and Mandarin,” Tseng said. “That tells you how close we are to the final signature.” Tseng said that he hoped Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney
POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT: Japan and the US are expected to hold in-depth discussions on Taiwan-related issues during the meeting next month, Japanese sources said The holding of a Japan-US leaders’ meeting ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to China is positive news for Taiwan, former Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association representative Hiroyasu Izumi said yesterday. After the Liberal Democratic Party’s landslide victory in Japan’s House of Representatives election, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is scheduled to visit the US next month, where she is to meet with Trump ahead of the US president’s planned visit to China from March 31 to April 2 for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平). Japan and the US are expected to hold in-depth discussions on Taiwan-related issues during the
RSS