Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Ou-po (陳歐珀) yesterday defended his proposal to transform Yilan County’s Turtle Island (Gueishan Island, 龜山島) into an international tourist destination.
The island off the northeast was designated a military restricted zone in 1977, when the government forced its residents to relocate to Taiwan proper. The government lifted the restriction in 2000 to develop it for tourism.
Chen on Monday last week drew criticism from environmentalists and politicians when he proposed building an international hotel on the island.
Photo courtesy of the Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area Administration
He said that the Tourism Bureau has listed Turtle Island, five fishing villages in Yilan’s Toucheng Township (頭城) and sand dunes in Jhuangwei Township (壯圍) as potential destinations for international tourists.
Of the three areas, Turtle Island has the most personality, he said, adding that whenonearth.net in 2015 selected it as one of the “12 cool naturally shaped islands around the world.”
“My idea is that the central government can outsource the development of Turtle Island and 101km coastline in Yilan to a contractor using the build-operate-transfer model, provided that the development not compromise the environment or ecosystem,” he said.
“The island is not only for Yilan residents to enjoy. I hope my proposal will help stimulate creativity and that the public can reach a consensus on this,” he added.
Chen said that he presented his proposal after extensive discussion with government officials and tourism experts from overseas, adding that media coverage gave the false impression that he was planning to build a large hotel resort on the island.
He said that his position has always been that the development should be done in an eco-friendly manner.
Yilan Mayor Chiang Tsung-yuan (江聰淵) of the DPP and Yilan County Commissioner Lin Zi-miao (林姿妙) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) last week said they opposed Chen’s proposal.
“Turtle Island should not be overdeveloped because it is a conservation area and a spiritual landmark for people,” Chiang said.
Lin also called the island a spiritual symbol for people in Yilan, adding that its most valuable asset is that it preserves biodiversity and pristine nature.
“The boat ride from Toucheng to Turtle Island takes only about 30 minutes, and there are already plenty of hotels and accommodations in Toucheng,” she said. “I do not support building another hotel on the island.”
The Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area Administration said it has yet to evaluate the possibility of building a hotel on the island.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
A wild live dugong was found in Taiwan for the first time in 88 years, after it was accidentally caught by a fisher’s net on Tuesday in Yilan County’s Fenniaolin (粉鳥林). This is the first sighting of the species in Taiwan since 1937, having already been considered “extinct” in the country and considered as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A fisher surnamed Chen (陳) went to Fenniaolin to collect the fish in his netting, but instead caught a 3m long, 500kg dugong. The fisher released the animal back into the wild, not realizing it was an endangered species at
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
RSS