Premier Mao Chi-kuo today applauded the Hakka Affairs Council (HAC) for building cultural industry corridors around the island, saying the initiative has begun paying dividends for Hakka communities and businesses.
After hearing the HAC's progress report on the corridors, the premier said the project has cultivated industry talent, nurtured successful businesses, and improved the industry's infrastructure. It has also broadened the market for Hakka industries and revitalized businesses at the Hakka cultural parks.
The HAC has built five corridors by grouping the country's 69 Hakka cultural development districts according to location and regional characteristics. The corridors are respectively located along the northern stretch of Provincial Highway 3, the northwestern coast of the island, central Taiwan, eastern Taiwan, and the Liudui area in southern Taiwan. Using a two-pronged strategy of turning culture into big business and making business a part of local culture, the project will build a Hakka living environment within these cultural development districts.
Looking ahead, the HAC will establish regional business service platforms that encourage Hakka industries to work with other sectors for greater innovation. The HAC also plans to create smart tourism and smart shopping apps by using fourth-generation mobile networks, information and communications technology and big data. Meanwhile, five specialty industry alliances are being formed to promote tourism and specialty products.
A total of NT$508 million (US$16.21 million) will be invested into the corridor project, which is expected to draw 587,000 more tourists and bring in an additional NT$1.12 billion (US$35.74 million) tourism revenues, the HAC said.