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.
The government should improve children’s outdoor spaces and accelerate carbon reduction programs, as the risk of heat-related injury due to high summer temperatures rises each year, Greenpeace told a news conference yesterday. Greenpeace examined summer temperatures in Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Hsinchu City, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung to determine the effects of high temperatures and climate change on children’s outdoor activities, citing data garnered by China Medical University, which defines a wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) of 29°C or higher as posing the risk of heat-related injury. According to the Central Weather Administration, WBGT, commonly referred to as the heat index, estimates
Taipei and other northern cities are to host air-raid drills from 1:30pm to 2pm tomorrow as part of urban resilience drills held alongside the Han Kuang exercises, Taiwan’s largest annual military exercises. Taipei, New Taipei City, Keelung, Taoyuan, Yilan County, Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County are to hold the annual Wanan air defense exercise tomorrow, following similar drills held in central and southern Taiwan yesterday and today respectively. The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Maokong Gondola are to run as usual, although stations and passenger parking lots would have an “entry only, no exit” policy once air raid sirens sound, Taipei
Taipei placed 14th in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Best Student Cities 2026 list, its highest ever, according to results released yesterday. With an overall score of 89.1, the city climbed 12 places from the previous year, surpassing its previous best ranking of 17th in 2019. Taipei is “one of Asia’s leading higher-education hubs,” with strong employer activity scores and students “enjoying their experience of the city and often keen to stay after graduation,” a QS staff writer said. In addition to Taipei, Hsinchu (71st), Tainan (92nd), Taichung (113th) and Taoyuan (130th) also made QS’ list of the top 150 student cities. Hsinchu showed the
Environmental groups yesterday filed an appeal with the Executive Yuan, seeking to revoke the environmental impact assessment (EIA) conditionally approved in February for the Hsieh-ho Power Plant’s planned fourth liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving station off the coast of Keelung. The appeal was filed jointly by the Protect Waimushan Seashore Action Group, the Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association and the Keelung City Taiwan Head Cultural Association, which together held a news conference outside the Executive Yuan in Taipei. Explaining the reasons for the appeal, Wang Hsing-chih (王醒之) of the Protect Waimushan Seashore Action Group said that the EIA failed to address