Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Vice President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday presented a project for the economic development of northern Taiwan, suggesting a broader subway network in Taipei and New Taipei City, and creating a “New Silicon Valley” in Taoyuan as well as Hsinchu and Miaoli counties.
The new infrastructure and construction projects could spur economic growth, attract investments and improve the living conditions of residents, Lai said.
If elected, he would push to complete the Taipei MRT Circular Line network, Lai said.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
“The Circular Line is to cover most New Taipei City districts, with Taipei at its core... When the network is completed, every district center in New Taipei City along its route would be an engine for economic growth,” Lai said.
“It was during the first DPP government that the Circular Line was proposed, and its first phase was completed in 2020.... Construction for the northern and southern sections has already started, and the designs are under way for the line’s eastern section,” he added.
Lai also proposed building a “New Danhai Science City” in New Taipei City with two districts along the coast in the north of Tamsui District (淡水) focusing on biomedical technology, healthcare and leisure while functioning as a transportation hub.
Photo courtesy of the campaign office of KMT presidential candidate Hou You-yi
Another project named the “Keelung River Valley Corridor,” would link Sijhih District (汐止) with Keelung’s Wudu (五堵) to Chidu (七堵) to set up a science and high-tech sector corridor, Lai said, adding that it would connect to the existing high-tech clusters in Taipei to boost the economic development of Taipei, New Taipei City and Keelung.
Meanwhile, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday held a campaign event in Taichung’s Wurih District (烏日), which it said attracted about 60,000 people.
At the campaign rally, KMT presidential candidate New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) pledged to extend the Taichung MRT to neighboring Changhua and Nantou counties, saying that the project had been blocked by the DPP.
Photo: Tsai Tsung-hsien, Taipei Times
Hou urged people to vote for him and the KMT to “win back the country,” as he pledged to complete the Taichung MRT extension.
Despite the DPP spending NT$2.7 billion (US$86.5 million) cracking down on scams, such cases continue to rise, Hou said, adding that if elected, in three years he would ensure fraud cases are reduced by 50 percent.
He would lead Taiwan to walk a “middle path,” in which the nation is at peace with China and friends with member of the international community, Hou said.
In contrast with the DPP and the KMT’s big rallies, Taiwan People’s Party Chairman and presidential candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) yesterday accompanied a group of his supporters who had started a cross-nation walk from Taipei, as they reached Pingtung County’s Hengchun Township (恆春) yesterday.
Additional reporting by Tsai Chang-sheng, Su Meng-chuan and CNA
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