Premier Lin Chuan today attended a celebration marking the 10th anniversary of the launch of the Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) service, saying the system has transformed Taiwan's economy, improved travel quality and changed Taiwan's transportation network forever.
Attributing the THSR's success to Taiwanese expertise and energy, the premier said system planners overcame many difficulties after a massive earthquake devastated central Taiwan on September 21, 1999. Engineers reassessed Taiwan's situation and switched from European to Japanese specifications to keep the budget under control. A decade after opening, the THSR has become a successful operation.
In addition to fulfilling its corporate responsibility, the THSR should also maintain a certain level of profitability over the long-term to remain accountable to stockholders and the public, the premier said. It should also shoulder some responsibility for cultivating domestic industries by contracting its maintenance and repair work to local firms.
Whereas parts and components were previously imported from Japan, Taiwan now has the ability to produce similar components, and those parts are being used throughout the system, the premier continued. If Taiwan has an agency that can certify train cars and tracks, the THSR should have those products made and certified in Taiwan, which will help boost the domestic railway industry, strengthen Taiwan's maintenance and operating capabilities, and make it easier to attract overseas investors in the future.
The premier also encouraged the THSR to strengthen its management abilities and develop a global niche. By exporting high-speed rail management technologies and capabilities to other countries, the THSR can build a reputation and take its place among the world's leading railway transportation companies.
Through recent financial restructuring and operational adjustments, the THSR has repositioned itself as a stated-owned, privately run company, the premier said. He hopes the THSR operator can build a new operating model that retains the spirit and tradition of the original build-operate-transfer management team.
The THSR should continue building on these foundations, Premier Lin said, pledging government assistance to support the industry and spur national development while creating an environment that helps people achieve their full potential. He also urged THSR staff not to be content with their achievements, but to always continue striving and setting a better model for other Taiwanese enterprises.
Today's celebration also included the inauguration of the Taiwan High Speed Rail Museum, which will exhibit cultural and physical assets from the THSR to preserve its history and promote knowledge of railway culture.