In honor of Kaohsiung’s centenary, the Chinese-language Liberty Times (sister paper of the Taipei Times) recently published a reflection on the city’s dynamic growth and emergence as a prosperous hub in southern Taiwan, expressing hope for its continued success into the next century.
Kaohsiung is unique in Taiwan, encompassing mountains, rivers, airports and ports, as well as MRT and high-speed rail systems, all within its city limits. Over the past few years, the central government has invested considerable resources in the city’s development. Despite concerns about rising housing prices, there is still widespread agreement that Kaohsiung is an increasingly attractive proposition.
In April 2018, during then-president Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) administration, the Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) was established in Kaohsiung — the first government ministry to be set up in the southern region. Situated near the Port of Kaohsiung, the council symbolizes the government’s commitment to investment in marine-related initiatives.
However, since then, the region has not attracted any additional Cabinet-level agencies. The Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA), established in 2022, was envisioned as a science and technology-driven, innovative agency with no specific restrictions for its office location. However, a report by the National Audit Office showed that MODA’s preparatory task force had intentionally limited its base to Taipei.
That said, we should shift our focus to future development. Creation of a ministry for sports was a key campaign promise of President William Lai (賴清德). It is expected to be officially established next year with a projected budget of NT$20 billion (US$626.9 million) by 2027.
In the wake of Taiwan’s achievements at the Paris Olympics, there has been considerable discussion regarding the new ministry, but its exact location remains unclear.
Kaohsiung is spacious with convenient transportation, and is already home to the National Sports Training Center and the Taiwan Institute of Sports Science, both on Shiyun Boulevard in Zuoying District (左營). A new ministry of sports in the same area would be highly significant, and the establishment of a second government ministry in the southern region would be a notable achievement for the Lai administration.
Today’s advanced communications technology would ensure effective coordination with other central government agencies, similar to what the OAC has achieved.
Furthermore, the Sports Administration on Zhulun Street in Taipei could be repurposed for MODA, which is still seeking a permanent office in the capital. This solution kills two birds with one stone, and saves public funds.
Lo Cheng-chung is a professor and director of Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology’s Institute of Financial and Economic Law.
Translated by Nicole Wong
The Paris Olympics are over and the five-ringed views of the Louvre, Invalides, Eiffel and Versailles just memories. As a diplomatic historian, my thoughts naturally turn to France! The Olympian of world affairs, the creators of “diplomacy,” Cardinal Richelieu and Prince Talleyrand. But sixty years ago, at the 1964 diplomatic games, Team China bested Team France in a battle of wits in “free-style negotiations” over Taiwan. Paris never recovered. To be fair, in Europe of 1963-1964, France was besieged. She had been ousted from her Asian dominions. She had begun her first nuclear weapons tests just as the United States and
Having the title doctor or the letters PhD after your name carries the connotation of having broad knowledge. In reality, while people with doctoral degrees often possess highly specialized expertise and might be held in high esteem among their peers, they are likely virtually unknown to the general public. In Taiwan, people with doctorates are common, while probably fewer than one out of 100 of them could truly make a name for themselves. Of course, there are exceptions. Those who gain media exposure can easily become well-known, especially if they are involved in politics. However, many fail to live up to
For the past few weeks, the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) and its Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) have been embroiled in a series of scandals related to irregularities in their presidential campaign financial reporting. These scandals continue to expand as more evidence surfaces, raising more questions about the party’s financial propriety and competency. These irregularities include unusually high spending, allegedly accepting donations from abroad, reporting 97.3 percent of personal donations as “cash,” making large payments to marketing firms with close ties to the party and accounting errors. When the financial irregularities were first reported, the party blamed it on “arbitrary misconduct” by
Over the past few years, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a visible change in the EU’s approach to Taiwan. I call this phenomenon European hype about Taiwan. The change is noticeable at both the EU and member-state levels, with parliaments and Central Europe leading the way. The best example is the fact that Taiwan is finally mentioned in various EU documents (a real novelty compared with the past 30 years), in addition to statements by European politicians, an increase in bilateral contacts, a growing awareness of Taiwan’s importance and its contribution not only to European prosperity, but