Mayor’s Remarks:
1. Showcasing Tainan’s progress to the world – ten key infrastructure projects unveiled at Tainan High Speed Rail Station
(1) During Premier Lai’s term as Tainan City Mayor, he highlighted the importance of future-oriented development. Over the past eight years, while continuing to promote Tainan as the Cultural Capital of Taiwan, Mr. Lai centered the municipal government’s efforts on transforming Tainan by investing in various infrastructure projects. The objective was to refine Tainan into a comprehensive city equally advanced in technology and humanities. Last week, the Department of Information and International Relations chose to unveil ten ongoing infrastructure projects at Tainan’s doorstep –Tainan High Speed Rail Station. These projects include the Tainan Art Museum; Tainan Public Libraries (the main library); Tainan Asia-Pacific International Baseball Training Center; five major cultural parks, including Tsailiao, Tavocan, Chihkan, Tapani, Shuijiaoshe, and Taijiang Cultural Parks; and Tainan Convention and Exhibition Center. In addition to demonstrating Tainan’s progress over the past few years, the unveiling provided a chance for all to gain a better understanding of Tainan’s transformation from the Cultural Capital of Taiwan to an emerging tech-oriented city.
(2) Tainan High Speed Rail Station was chosen as the location for the unveiling mainly because it is a major transportation hub for domestic and international travelers who are traveling to or departing from Tainan. The Tainan City Government wishes to increase the exposure of Tainan’s urban imagery to more people, which will then attract a greater number of visitors, investors, and businesses, while elevating Tainan residents’ sense of pride for being a member of this city. During the event, three columns in the concourse were decorated with images and introductions of the three major infrastructure projects in Tainan: Tainan Art Museum, Tainan Public Libraries (the main library), and Tainan Asia-Pacific International Baseball Training Center. A row of large banners was suspended near the glass walls, detailing the chronicles of the five cultural parks and comprehensively displaying Tainan’s historical legacy and diverse culture.
(3) The television wall next to the escalator currently broadcasts four videos that the Department of Information and International Relations produced in collaboration with influencers, including an unboxing video of Yonghua Sports Center by Yuyu, an introduction to Tainan Street Museum of Art +, and A-tshun-á and Mimi the cat’s unboxing of District Road South 80 and the bike path that connects the National Museum of Taiwan History to Chimei Museum. These four videos have received a large number of views. In the near future, another video of Yuyu introducing smart transportation and unboxing Tainan Art Museum will be launched. Other than serving as examples of Tainan keeping abreast to international trends, the modern projects featured in these videos will also function as new and important landmarks in Tainan. I would like to thank Director Hsu and the staff members of the Department of Information and International Relations for their excellent work in promoting these projects.
2. Taiwan’s first closed testing field for unmanned cars scheduled to be completed by the end of the year
(1) In April 2017, the Executive Yuan approved the plan to establish a demonstration zone in Shalun for unmanned cars. The zone occupies an area of 2.2 hectares. Section C on the east side is the zone’s core. On the north-western side are Tainan High Speed Rail Station, Shalun Train Station, and a test site for self-driving cars and a smart green energy control center. Construction is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year, after which test runs for low-speed electric vehicles will begin. This area will be officially opened to the public in January 2019. The area is positioned as a venue that, in combination with Shalun Smart Green Energy Science City, promotes the concept of a low-carbon, smart city, while also serving as a testing venue and technology experiment center for advanced and smart transportation systems. The objective of establishing such a venue is to promote the development of the domestic self-driving vehicle industry, thereby offering companies a chance to showcase their achievements, while also enabling the public to gain a better understanding of this new technology.
(2) Since the High Speed Rail became operational a decade ago, Shalun High Speed Rail District has experienced bottlenecks in its development because a large portion of land in the area is owned by Taiwan Sugar Corporation and the Bureau of High Speed Rail. However, Shalun High Speed Rail District can be seen as a late bloomer. The preservation of a large designated industrial area secured Shalun High Speed Rail District a place in the 5+2 Innovative Industries Plan. Now designated for the green industry, Shalun High Speed Rail District includes a core area, infrastructure, peripheral research units, and a peripheral industry park. A total of 20-odd investment projects amounting to NT $56.19 billion are now underway, with a projected annual output of NT $16.95 billion. An estimated 8,250 new employment opportunities will be generated. The Southern Branch of Academia Sinica; Industrial Technology Research Institute; R&D Center of the Ministry of Science and Technology; and the Tainan Convention and Exhibition Center, supervised by the Public Works Bureau, are all under construction. Construction for the self-driving car venue will most likely be the first to be completed, and it will soon bring new business opportunities to Taiwan’s self-driving vehicle industry.
3. The main library will be completed in 2020, and a soft launch will be held
(1) Shaping Tainan into a literary city was a major municipal objective when Premier Lai served as Tainan City Mayor. Specific policies included raising the budget for purchasing books, improving the quality of district libraries, and expanding cross-library lending services. Tainan’s residents are big readers. To meet readers’ demands, the Tainan City Government planned to establish the main library at the site of Yongkang Artillery School. Construction kicked off last July. As of now, 31.6% of construction work has been completed. The main library will be completed and ready for a soft launch in mid-2020. After Yongkang Artillery School is relocated, the area will be used as a creative design park. Parks will also be added to the surrounding area, further elevating the quality of the Yongkang region.
(2) The iconic main library represents a significant opportunity for development in Yongkang. Many administrative bodies will be relocated to the area in the future, including police stations, fire departments, and district offices, which will make public services in the area more readily available. As the underground railway project has been extended to Yongkang, a new station named Kangciao will be added. This station will be connected by road to National Highway No. 1 via Tainan Metropolitan Expressway. Other than improving accessibility in the area, 15 hectares will be reserved for parkland, offering citizens a better view. Subsequently, Yongkang will become an area with excellent living quality, similar to Pingshi Barracks and Southern Tainan Second City Center.
(3) After Yongkang Artillery School is relocated, the area will be reserved for a creative design park. The new main library will be the first major public infrastructure project launched in the area. What sets the main library apart from its traditional counterparts is that it will offer services for digital learning, makers, families, sensory experiences, and include a Tainan hall of fame. In addition, the new main library will also include an international conference hall and multifunctional spaces for the cultural and creative industry. The 1.8 hectares of outdoor parkland in the area will be designed as family-themed scenic parks. Our aim is to provide Tainan residents with a more enjoyable and comfortable reading experience and to offer knowledge support services for people of all ages. I would like to ask the Cultural Affairs Bureau to ensure that the contractors complete the project on schedule. Regarding the outdoor theater that will be established in the area, I would like to ask departments in charge of planning and the Land Administration Bureau, Public Works Bureau, and Cultural Affairs Bureau to collaborate and ensure that the outdoor theater can be completed and opened on schedule.
Announcements
1. The Public Works Bureau’s report on its administrative achievements over the past eight years (refer to written sources for details)
Decision: Approved for reference filing
Mayor’s Remarks:
(1) First of all, I would like to thank Director Su and the staff members of the Public Works Bureau for their devotion to Tainan’s construction projects. Also, I would like to thank Deputy Mayor Wu for building a solid foundation for numerous projects during his term as Director of the Public Works Bureau. Over the past eight years, Tainan’s residents have seen substantial improvements in the construction and maintenance of public infrastructures, such as roads, bridges, and parks. During this period of time, Tainan has received 90 awards for its public infrastructure, including five major international awards. Furthermore, Tainan’s civilian supervision over public construction projects has ranked first in Taiwan for six consecutive years, and Tainan’s Construction Inspection Unit has been rated with excellent performance every year since 2012.
(2) Leading industrial development with advancements in transportation has been a rising trend in international highway development. Since Tainan was upgraded as a special municipality, the municipal government has proactively engaged in developing primary roads and bridges. At present, 132 new roads have been constructed, and 40 bridges have undergone improvements. Additionally, the “three horizontal and three vertical expressways” have been completed, reducing commuting time within the city to under one hour. Tainan has received the highest amount of subsidies among all municipalities in Taiwan from the central government for improving and expanding roads, with a combined subsidy of NT $32 billion across 51 projects. In the future, the Tainan Metropolitan Expressway and Zengwen River Bridge on Provincial Highway No. 61 will connect the southwestern coast of Taiwan, while also aiding transportation in metropolitan Tainan.
(3) Having level roads has always been residents’ fundamental demand. To improve road quality, the municipal government began proactively promoting a road-smoothing project after Tainan was upgraded as a special municipality. An estimated 200 kilometers of road will undergo improvement work by the end of this year. Other than continuing to employ the road-smoothing project, the municipal government reserves NT $2 billion each year for general road maintenance. Also, Tainan is the only municipality in Taiwan with two asphalt plants. This, coupled with our round-the-clock hotline, ensures that repairs are launched immediately after damage is reported. In the central government’s 2017 evaluation of road damage and smoothness indicators, Tainan ranked the first in Taiwan. With the Public Works Bureau’s constant innovation, Tainan’s road excavation management has also become somewhat of a role model for other local governments. The municipal government is currently promoting systems fitted with 3D underground piping illustrations and augmented reality. In the future, pipe distribution can be confirmed without first excavating roads. The Tainan City Government has also endeavored to declutter arcades and to resort the right of way to pedestrians. At present, arcades along 300 roads have been decluttered, which translates to 97.7 kilometers.
(4) Opening parks is an ideal way of elevating people’s sense of wellbeing. Since Tainan was upgraded as a special municipality, a total of 68 parks across 81.5 hectares of land have been opened, increasing the total number of parks in Tainan to 478, covering an area of 656.4 hectares. Construction for Yuejin Harbor Park, Da-en Specialty Park, Golden Coast Park, and Wanli Wetland Park are in progress and will soon be completed, creating more greenery and increasing the charm of Tainan. The Public Works Bureau bears the great responsibility of promoting construction in Tainan. Other than carrying out public construction projects, the Public Works Bureau is also in charge of launching major projects for the armed forces, the central government, and the Bureau of Education. Some examples of these projects include construction for the Army Artillery Training Command’s Hushan Training Grounds, the relocation of Tainan Veterans’ Home, and construction for Yonghua Public Sports Center and Tainan Convention and Exhibition Center. In preparation for the 2019 WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup, the Public Works Bureau has pulled out all the stops in organizing construction work for the Asia-Pacific International Baseball Training Center. I would like to ask the Public Works Bureau to continue to oversee major construction projects in Tainan and to ensure that construction quality is up to par, and that projects are completed on schedule.
2. The Tourism Bureau’s report on Pokémon GO Safari Zone in Tainan and the 2018 Tainan Music City festival (refer to written sources for details)
Decision: Approved for reference filing
Mayor’s Remarks:
(1) Pokémon GO Safari Zone in Tainan has been well-received by the tourism industry and domestic and international players alike. The scale of the event was second only to that of Yokohama, Japan. The operational efficiency of the municipal team was also publicly recognized by the game provider, highlighting the municipal team’s dedication to such events. Again, I would like to thank Director Wang for leading her team in securing the hosting rights and organizing this major event. I would also like to thank the police officers, volunteer traffic wardens, and medical staff for their support during the event, as well as Chimei Museum and the five major telecommunications companies for their assistance. In total, 1,300 persons were involved in planning and executing this event. I would like to thank you all for showcasing Tainan’s beauty to the world. The municipal government hopes that Pokémon GO Safari Zone has left domestic and international players with a positive impression of Tainan and that they will revisit Tainan in the future. In the aftermath of the February 6 Tainan earthquake, Director Wang suggested that Premier Lai, who was then Mayor of Tainan, center his efforts on revitalizing Tainan’s tourism industry, and that collaborating with international game companies was an option. Since then, the municipal government has been working with international game companies to draw out collaboration plans. I would like to thank Premier Lai for supporting this initiative during his term as Mayor. Finally, I would like to ask the Tourism Bureau to award its staff members who helped to organize and execute the event.
(2) Nearly 100 professionals from 15 countries have been invited to attend the Tainan Music City festival, which will be held for the second time. The festival is worthy of recognition as it promotes Tainan as an iconic destination for international music festivals and offers local music groups a chance to connect to the global stage. The free out-door opening performance by five bands/performers on December 1; the eight music industry panels held on December 3 for music fans, performers, and music businesses; and the 16 indie performances brought by 56 performers across seven venues are all worth looking forward to.
(3) The number of buildings with tours available for this year’s “Formosa Visit” has been increased to 29 from ten last year. Built on Tainan’s unique hospitality and friendliness, limited free entries and guided tours will be offered during the first three days of the festival. Other than helping more visitors gain a better understanding of historical houses and architecture, the expansion of Formosa Visit’s scale also indicates that local businesses identify with such tours. In addition, 47 local hotel businesses launched early bird discounts to accommodate visitors attending the festival, which is sure to extend the stay of many music fans. I would like to thank Director Wang and the staff members of the Tourism Bureau for devoting their time and attention to Tainan’s unique music city festival.