Kaohsiung, July 18 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian said on Tuesday he hopes construction on the planned Luchu science-based industrial park in the southern county of Kaohsiung can get underway as soon as possible.
Chen made the remarks during an inspection tour of the Luchu park's planned construction site in Kaohsiung County.
The president pointed out that the planned Luchu science park, to be patterned after Taiwan's high-tech stronghold--the Hsinchu Science-based Industrial Park, holds the key to help buoy the industrial development in southern Taiwan.
Noting that the park, when completed, will be able to provide 50,000 job openings, Chen said he is convinced that the southern part of the island will get a face-lift with the inauguration of the Luchu industrial park.
Chen said the central government will join forces with local governments to overcome difficulties to ensure an early completion of the Luchu park.
Chen also toured several aquaculture farms and consumer industry factories in Kaohsiung county before returning to Taipei. Chen was accompanied by Kaohsiung County Magistrate Yu Cheng-hsien and several other central and local government officials on his Kaohsiung inspection tour.