To expedite work on the Taoyuan Aerotropolis project, the Executive Yuan created a cross-ministry Aerotropolis task force today and convened its first meeting. Vice Premier Jiang Yi-huah said the project is a key component of the government's Golden Decade National Vision Plan and the recently-unveiled Economic Power-Up Plan. The task force, which he is leading, will coordinate its implementation.
"This project is crucial not only to northern Taiwan's regional development but also to our economic globalization. Its swift implementation will prompt the Taiwanese economy to take off once again. It will stimulate the local economy, promote industrial upgrades and restructuring and drive growth," he said.
Following Premier Sean Chen's announcement of the project's launch on September 18, the Executive Yuan promptly set up the task force, issuing guidelines for its establishment October 2. The next day, Mayor John Wu and Council Speaker Chu Yi-sheng of Taoyuan County as well as legislators representing Taoyuan constituencies expressed their eager anticipation for the project when meeting with the premier. Chen promised to take their requests into consideration and asked the vice premier to discuss them during task force meetings.
The main items on the agenda today were a special report on the project, the formation of the task force and a report on its functions. Topics such as future land acquisition, urban planning, overall development, industrial planning and investment were also discussed.
The Taoyuan Aerotropolis will use the convenience and international connectivity of the passenger and cargo transport and logistics services generated by the airport to attract related industries, leading to cluster development and the formation of a multifunctional urban area. The Executive Yuan will invest NT$463 billion (US$15.75 billion) to make the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport a hub of East Asia and raise the annual passenger volume to 75 million. This is expected to add NT$2.3 trillion (US$78.4 billion) to the economy and generate tax revenues of NT$84 billion (US$2.86 billion) and 260,000 jobs.
The task force will be divided into three functional groups—urban planning and land acquisition, development and construction, and industrial planning and investment—which will be presided over by the deputy mayor of Taoyuan County, the deputy minister of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) and the deputy minister of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), respectively. Each may create sub-task forces as needed.
In order to effectively achieve performance goals, the task force has adopted a clear operating structure based on the principle of division of labor with coordination at each level. Each functional group will meet every two weeks, and the task force as a whole will meet every two months. Before each task force meeting, the executive secretary, MOTC deputy minister Yeh Kuang-shih, will hold preliminary meetings to review the agenda in order to raise the coming assembly's efficiency.
Meetings will be held more frequently during the initial stage, Jiang said. Hence, the second ad hoc task force meeting will be held next month. Jiang has instructed the MOTC to arrange for onsite inspections to help relevant groups get a firm grasp of current circumstances and expedite future plan implementation. To keep a stringent watch on progress, Jiang has asked each functional group to submit a work report every two weeks.
MOEA deputy minister Duh Tyzz-jiun reported the industrial plan and investment functional group's preliminary ideas at today's meeting. He said that there will be industrial zones for logistics, international medical treatment, high-value manufacturing, exquisite agriculture, regional technical services headquarters and other supporting industries (such as finance and insurance) as well as a recreation park. The MOEA will commission research units to carry out in-depth studies on the detailed planning.
Jiang responded that the MOEA should consult extensively with industry. He also anticipated the Taoyuan County Government would grasp the county's needs and take county attractions, industries and specialties into account when mapping out the Aerotropolis in order to maximize the benefit for all parties.
In addition to convener Jiang and executive secretary Yeh, the deputy conveners are MOTC Minister Mao Chi-kuo and Minister of the Council for Economic Planning and Development Yiin Chii-ming, while Secretary-General Steven S.K. Chen and Minister without Portfolio Yang Chiu-hsing serve as consultants; the heads of relevant ministries and Mayor Wu make up the other members.