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
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated
Myanmar has turned down an offer of assistance from Taiwanese search-and-rescue teams after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the nation on Friday last week, saying other international aid is sufficient, the National Fire Agency said yesterday. More than 1,700 have been killed and 3,400 injured in the quake that struck near the central Myanmar city of Mandalay early on Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a magnitude 6.7 aftershock. Worldwide, 13 international search-and-rescue teams have been deployed, with another 13 teams mobilizing, the agency said. Taiwan’s search-and-rescue teams were on standby, but have since been told to stand down, as