The Taipei City Government last night ordered Farglory Land Development Co (遠雄建設) to halt construction of the Taipei Dome, citing concerns about “ongoing damage” to the neighboring Songshan Tobacco Factory and a “threat” to the Taipei MRT Bannan (板南) Line, which runs next to the construction site.
The announcement came less than 10 hours after Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said he felt “the company is too arrogant” and was considering ordering the firm to cease construction until it provides a clear explanation of how it plans to guarantee safety at the site.
Ko said he was “angry” and “could not stand” Farglory’s “insincere” attitude.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
The company submitted only a single sheet of paper after being requested to provide a report on improving safety on Monday, even though abnormalities had been found on site since March.
“I feel [Farglory] is irresponsible, because it now says that construction on the foundations [of the Taipei Dome] would be drawn out until August,” Ko said.
The city government agreed to allow construction to continue when safety concerns first emerged on the grounds that the Taipei Dome would be structurally unstable until the foundations were completed.
Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
When asked if halting construction would be dangerous, Ko said that the firm had to provide a clear explanation of how it would address safety issues if construction was allowed to continue.
He added that the safety issues had to be addressed before any discussions took place on contractual issues.
Numerous media reports earlier yesterday said that the city government had reached a preliminary consensus with Farglory in talks on Tuesday between Farglory chairman Chao Teng-hsiung (趙藤雄) and Taipei Deputy Mayor Teng Chia-chi (鄧家基).
The reports said Farglory and the city had agreed to set up a third-party commission to investigate safety at the venue, breaking a standoff over the validity of a city-sponsored probe that called for either the Dome or its neighboring shopping mall to be demolished.
Teng denied the existence of any consensus.
“The city government absolutely did not accept Farglory’s proposals for a third-party evaluation,” he said, adding that Taipei had instead invited Farglory to submit its own plans to improve site safety.
“Without substantial content [regarding improving site safety], calling for a third-party evaluation is simply equivocating,” Teng said.
Farglory also chose to stall on construction safety issues in the hopes that the issue would blow over by the time the site’s foundations were completed, he said, adding that the issue was separate from concerns over the safety of the completed site.
As construction risks could increase with time, Farglory was responsible for giving the city a clear response on the costs and benefits of continued construction, he said.
Ko also said that Chao “reeked of alcohol” when he came in for talks, but added that he himself had not met with Chao.
In a statement, Farglory rejected Ko’s alcohol comment and called on the city to name the person who had given the mayor “mistaken information.”
The firm said the comment was a “groundless accusation” bordering on slander and “public humiliation,” and that it would take legal measures in response.
BAIL APPEALS: The former vice premier was ordered to be held incommunicado despite twice being granted bail and paying a total of NT$12 million in bond The Taoyuan District Court yesterday ordered the detention of former vice premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦), who is being investigated for alleged corruption while serving as Taoyuan mayor from December 2014 to December 2022, and that he be held incommunicado. The court made the ruling during a bail hearing after prosecutors appealed its bail ruling twice. Cheng on Saturday was released after posting bail of NT$5 million (US$153,818). However, after prosecutors lodged an appeal, the High Court on Monday revoked the original ruling and ordered the Taoyuan District Court to hold another bail hearing. On Tuesday, the district court granted bail to Cheng a second
The Thai government on Friday announced that Taiwanese would be allowed to stay in the country for up to 60 days per entry, under the Southeast Asian country’s visa-free program starting from today. Taiwan is among 93 countries included in the Thai visa-waiver program, which has been expanded from 57 countries, with the visa-exempt entry extended from 30 to 60 days. After taking office last year, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has vowed to grant more visa waivers to foreign travelers as part of efforts to stimulate tourism. The expanded visa-waiver program was on Friday signed by Thai Minister of the Interior Anutin
PEACE AND SECURITY: China’s military ambitions present ‘the greatest strategic challenge to Japan and the world, Japan’s annual defense white paper said yesterday Japan yesterday warned that China risked escalating tensions with Taiwan with an increase in military exercises that appeared aimed in part at readying Beijing’s forces for a possible invasion. Japan’s annual assessment of security threats, including those posed by China, North Korea and Russia, comes as Taiwan closely monitors Chinese People’s Liberation Army air and sea exercises, including one with the Shandong aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean. The drills are the latest in a series including maneuvers in the Taiwan Strait last year that a senior US general said would be key to any invasion. “Because of that increase in military activity,
HAN KUANG: The exercises, which are to run from July 22 to 26, will feature unscripted war games and a decentralized command and control structure, military officers said The armed forces would for the first time test new rules of engagement (ROE) at this month’s annual Han Kuang exercises, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said yesterday. The exercises, which are to run from July 22 to 26, will feature unscripted war games, and a decentralized command and control structure, military officers told a news conference in Taipei. ROE cards would be issued to select combat troops to test their ability to function without tight control, they said. The most recent edition of the rules was published last year, they said. One of the cards’ two templates identifies enemy targets that soldiers