Mayor’s remarks
1. Winner of Greater Tainan Expo Center International Design Competition revealed – a big step forward for urban landmark construction
(1) The evaluation meeting of the Greater Tainan Expo Center (including the arena), one of the Six Major Constructions under the Ten Flagship Projects of Tainan, was completed on Friday, November 2, and the outcomes were announced on Saturday, November 3. The team led by Fortune Construction Co., Ltd. was the champion and enjoy the right to priority contract execution. The project is expected to start in mid-2018 and be completed at the end of 2020. This project marks a big step forward for Tainan’s landmark construction. I thank Deputy Mayor Wu and Director-general Su and colleagues of the Public Works Bureau for their work.
(2) After project completion, the Greater Tainan Expo Center will be able to accommodate 600 standard booths. The columnless indoor space can be used as a multifunctional hall for conferences of 5,500 seats. With the features of an arena, this modern exhibition facility can become a multifunctional venue for performances, sports games, functions, and other activities. In addition, it is positioned as a green and smart exposition center.
(3) The Expo Center is expected to become a new landmark in Tainan. Apart from being a platform for industrial exchange in southern Taiwan, the center will also house the Southern Taiwan Branch of Academia Sinica and Shalun Green Energy Science City. I thank Deputy Secretary-general Fang for his assistance and the Bureau of Economic Development for their efforts.
2. Promoting and marketing Tainan’s high-quality agricultural products
(1) Tainan is a leading agricultural city in Taiwan. Over the past seven years, the city government has been implementing the New Farmers, New Countryside, New Agriculture policy to encourage citizens to engage in land rehabilitation with arable crops. The city government has also improved the quality of local agricultural products through contract farming and establishing quality brands and specific planting areas for rice, cereals, vegetable, fruit, and flowers.
(2) Rice in Tainan is grown with the “float irrigation system” designed by engineer Yoichi Hatta, which keeps the irrigation channel high above the farmland. By separating the irrigation system from the drainage system, irrigation water for paddy fields will not be affected by industrial wastewater and domestic sewage. In addition, as the irrigation water is transported via the special green limestone landform containing rich minerals, rice grown with such water is exceptionally tasty.
(3) Last Saturday, November 4, we organized the premium agricultural products and Tainan Koshihikari promotional event at the Taipei Farmers’ Market at Taipei Hope Square. We are grateful to Premier Lai for visiting us and endorsing our products, which have won critical acclaim from all parts of society. Special thanks should be given to the involvement and assistance of NTU units for the R&D, the Agriculture Bureau, and fellow farmers of Tainan for developing the quality Tainan #16 Koshihikari. I am also grateful to Director-general and colleagues of the Agriculture Bureau for their hard work.
3. Tainan wins most awards in Taiwan for health city rating
Tainan did a wonderful job at the 9th Health City & Senior-Friendly City Rating, winning 19 awards, the highest amongst all cities in Taiwan. These awards include excellence, health policy, living, sustainability, industry, safety, equality, health features, and smart city awards in the Health City category; and the gold award for townships, towns, cities, and districts; respect for seniors and social inclusiveness; and work and voluntary service in the Senior-Friendly City category. I thank all colleagues for their dedication and concerted efforts to build Tainan into a healthy and senior-friendly city. I hope all of you will build on these successes to make Tainan the healthiest and most livable city.