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.
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
RSS