Taoyuan, Oct. 19 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian solicited the support of the legislature Sunday to accelerate the implementation of the "New 10 Major National Development Plans" that will eventually sharpen Taiwan's international competitiveness.
Chen appealed for support from legislators from across the political spectrum for the proposed national development plans, particularly on the issue of fund raising, which will be of prime concern in carrying out the mammoth projects.
He added that in comparison with industrially advanced countries, Taiwan still has ample room to raise money, from home and abroad, as a means to facilitate the implementation of the "New 10 Major Development Plans, " scheduled to be completed in five years with a total investment of NT$500 billion (US$14.5 billion).
Chen made the remarks during a visit to a construction site in Taoyuan County where the proposed Chingpu Station -- one of the stations to be built along the Taiwan High Speed Railway system -- is under construction.
The Chingpu Station -- the only High Speed Railway station in Taoyuan County -- is located near the Chiang Kai-shek International Airport.
Once the 340-km north-south high speed railway becomes operational in 2005, the entire western Taiwan corridor will be transformed into a "one day traffic network," significantly upgrading the quality of the country's transportation, Chen said.
Chen, accompanied by Vice President Annette Lu and Transportation and Communications Minister Lin Ling-san, also inspected planning and development work of a mass rapid transport system connecting CKS Airport with Taipei.
The CKS-Taipei MRT system -- expected to cost NT$93.5 billion and scheduled to be completed by 2009 -- is also one of the new national development plans.
Meanwhile, Chen said, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications is also planning to include the modernization of railway systems in the Taoyuan and Chungli areas -- a project mainly involves overpass construction that would cost NT$28.4 billion -- into the development plans.