The issue of relocating the Legislative Yuan (LY) out of Taipei remains a hot topic even a decade after it was first proposed, with Taichung the most popular among the proposed locations, legislators said.
Other proposed locations include New Taipei City’s Tucheng District (土城), Changhua County’s Tianjhong Township (田中) and Yilan County.
Locations in Taipei have also been suggested, including the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and the 202 Munitions Works in Nangang District (南港).
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
The Legislative Yuan was moved to Taiwan following the Chinese Civil War, and held its first session in Taiwan in Taipei’s Zhongshan Hall before moving to its current location on Zhongshan S Road in 1960.
The Legislative Yuan building was a girls’ high school during the Japanese colonial era, and the legislature’s administrative offices are in what used to be its dormitory.
Over the years, additional buildings were rented or built in the surrounding area, giving the complex a disjointed feel.
In 2012, then-Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) proposed moving the legislature to Taichung.
The proposal has since been reiterated by other politicians, including Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Yang Chiung-ying (楊瓊瓔), DPP Legislator Huang Kuo-shu (黃國書), Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) and Vice President William Lai (賴清德) during his premiership in 2018.
Yang has said that moving the legislature would help spur development in a new location, and has suggested the Chenggong Ling (成功嶺) military training camp in Taichung’s Wujih District (烏日) or the Taiwan Provincial Assembly Memorial Park in the city’s Wufeng District (霧峰).
The Changhua County Government has also pushed for the legislature to be moved to either Tianjhong or Shetou Township (社頭).
Independent Legislator Freddy Lim (林昶佐) has proposed relocating to the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, arguing that such a move would help realize the nation’s transitional justice goals, while solving residents’ concerns about land use at the legislature’s current site.
The hall would also be more aesthetic than the current complex, he said.
DPP Legislator Kao Chia-yu (高嘉瑜) has proposed moving to the 202 Munitions Works, saying that it would provide adequate space and that its proximity to Nangang Railway Station would make it a more convenient location.
DPP Legislator Wu Chi-ming (吳琪銘) said that the previous site of the Taipei Detention Center in New Taipei City’s Tucheng should also be considered, given that it would offer a large amount of space.
DPP Legislator Chen Ou-po (陳歐珀), on the other hand, has said that a move to Yilan would spur development there, and make it easier for the military to protect the legislature in the event of an attack.
National Taipei University College of Public Affairs assistant professor Hong Wei-sheng (洪偉勝) on Saturday said that Taichung would be the most viable place to move to, in terms of national land planning.
However, such a move would make it expensive for officials to report to the legislature, he said, adding that if the Legislative Yuan moved to Taichung, then the Executive Yuan should relocate to Nantou County’s Jhongsing New Village (中興新村).
Tamkang University Department of Public Administration professor Chen Ming-siang (陳銘祥) echoed Hong’s argument that only a comprehensive move of different government facilities would make sense.
However, in most countries, central government facilities are located in a capital city, he said.
National Taiwan University Department of Political Science associate professor Peng Chin-peng (彭錦鵬) said that the legislature has never been moved, despite lengthy discussion on the issue, due to issues over whether Taiwan is a presidential system of government.
Legislators also lack determination on the issue, he added.
“If Taiwan’s current constitutional system is to be maintained, then it really is not necessary to move the legislature. The current complex could be rebuilt if space is a concern,” he said.
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
President William Lai (賴清德) has appointed former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) to attend the late Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican City on Saturday on his behalf, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today. The Holy See announced Francis’ funeral would take place on Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square. The ministry expressed condolences over Francis’ passing and said that Chen would represent Taiwan at the funeral and offer condolences in person. Taiwan and the Vatican have a long-standing and close diplomatic relationship, the ministry said. Both sides agreed to have Chen represent Taiwan at the funeral, given his Catholic identity and
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if the next president of that country decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said today. “We would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said during a legislative hearing. At the same time, Taiwan is paying close attention to the Central American region as a whole, in the wake of a visit there earlier this year by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Lin said. Rubio visited Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Guatemala, during which he
RSS