Vice President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday presided over the inauguration of a new residential building in Tainan to replace the Weiguan Jinlong (維冠金龍) complex, which collapsed in a deadly earthquake six years ago.
“This day has been a long time coming,” Lai said as he cut the ceremonial ribbon alongside Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲).
The new Chuyun Condominiums (出雲居) are not only more comfortable and appealing, but also far safer, Lai said in his first public appearance since returning from Honduras.
Photo: Wan Yu-chen, Taipei Times
It was built to replace the 17-story Weiguan Jinlong complex in Tainan’s Yongkang District (永康), which collapsed during a magnitude 6.4 earthquake on Feb. 6, 2016, killing 115 people and injuring 504.
A criminal investigation found that the construction company used inferior materials and shoddy design to cut costs.
Lai extended special thanks to the first responders, as well as the 400,000 people in Taiwan and abroad who lent their support in the aftermath of the quake.
Photo: CNA
Rebuilding the complex was no small undertaking, considering there is no profit to be made and success is the only option, Lai said, thanking the architects and builders.
He also recognized successive city governments, which have passed the baton over six years to realize yesterday’s achievement.
Reconstruction of Weiguan Jinlong stands not as a testament to tragedy, but to Tainan’s bravery in the face of disaster, he said, expressing the hope that the survivors would lead happy lives.
Lien Huang-wen (連晃汶) and Chen Shu-yi (陳淑怡), who lost their two sons in the collapse, brought their young daughter to the ceremony.
“I have hope for the future,” Chen said.
“I have a lot of emotions. After all, it is like we have grown up with the Chuyun building,” she added. “I hope we can move in soon and start our new life.”
Although the earthquake caused immeasurable pain, Taiwanese have transformed that suffering into love and support, said Yang Ning-ting (楊寧廷), who leads the association to rebuild housing for the survivors.
With help from the Tainan City Government, Lai and others, reconstruction work has overcome every obstacle, Yang said, adding that survivors can bid farewell to their past and meet a bright future.
Construction of the 15-story Chuyun Condominiums began in 2018.
As it sits atop relatively unstable soil, the foundation was constructed with a retaining wall that extends 24m into the ground.
The first three floors are to house a clinic, with 48 residential units in the floors above.
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
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
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
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by