After attending the groundbreaking for the renovation of Hualien's Xincheng Station and being briefed by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications' Railway Reconstruction Bureau, Vice Premier Jiang Yi-huah said today that 29 rail stations in Hualien and Taitung counties, from Xincheng in the north to Taitung in the south, will undergo renovation over the next two years. As such, Taiwanese and foreign travelers will see significant changes and impressive developments in the two counties, he stated.
"As the model of the new Xincheng Station building shows, its exterior will be unique. It will be neither rectangular nor round like other stations; rather, it will have highs and lows and different cross-sections of direct and oblique lines," Jiang said. "The architects cleverly integrated the design and the superb landscape behind the station to reflect the imagery of Liwu River Gorge, which is also symbolic of Hualien's gorgeous mountain and sea views."
He added that Xincheng is the entrance to Hualien and Taroko National Park and serves as an important gateway for rail transportation. The project will expand Xincheng's waiting hall capacity from some 80 to over 500 people, greatly facilitating transportation. This will improve tourists' experience in Hualien just as more travelers, including those from mainland China, go there as a result of warmer cross-strait relations, he said.
After inspecting Taiwan International Ports Corporation's Hualien branch, the vice premier said that the Port of Hualien will become a stronghold for Pacific freight and passenger transportation under the government plan to attract 10 million tourists to Taiwan by 2016.
Nevertheless, Jiang pointed out, the port has seasonal natural obstacles that will demand huge development to overcome. Cooperatively completing the construction of the port area and its outbound infrastructure is a priority for central and local governments, he said. "The governments would also need to find a sustainable business model for management to encourage private investment to make building this 'blue highway' possible," the vice premier said.
No project can be considered in isolation from Taiwan's other air, land, and sea transportation projects, Jiang noted. Hence, the planning for the Port of Hualien must take the Suhua highway improvement project and the North Link railway line into account, he said. In addition, since more and more mainland Chinese and international tourists are expected to visit Hualien, transportation infrastructure should be built to meet future visitor needs while protecting Hualien's natural scenery, he emphasized. Finally, the vice premier instructed Executive Yuan officials to accelerate planning related to these major projects.