Premier Cho Jung-tai: Complete the 'Pearl Necklace Plan' to Secure Water for Agriculture and Chips

(Central News Agency, Reporter Chang Jung-hsiang, Tainan 12th) With frontal rainfall making the water situation cautiously optimistic, Premier Cho Jung-tai stated today that the 'Pearl Necklace Plan' must be completed step by step. He described it as a very large water engineering project that will provide water resources for agriculture and the chip industry, contributing to the world.

During an inspection of the Tainan Houbi Flower Innovation Park Research and Development Center, Cho noted that in recent months, upon arriving at his office in the Executive Yuan, he first checks the water levels in the reservoirs, then checks the stability of the stock market. Regarding reservoir monitoring, he said that the more water in the four reservoirs of Baihe, Zengwen, Wushantou, and Nanhua, the more stable the situation is. He expressed hope that rain falls on the reservoirs, not on the streets, to fill them further.

Cho stated that the Pearl Necklace Plan must be completed step by step, and the southern section is largely finished. The connecting pipelines from Zengwen to Nanhua and Kaohsiung are complete. Currently, the remaining work is to connect Miaoli, Taichung, and Hsinchu. Theoretically, a drop of water from the north could reach the south, and a drop from the south could reach the north, making Taiwan a string of pearls.

Cho said the Pearl Necklace Plan is a very large water engineering project that will provide water resources for agriculture and the chip industry, contributing to the world. He added that local flood control efforts must be improved to prevent flooding. The central government has also allocated NT$100 billion over four years for river improvement projects under county and city jurisdiction to enhance local industries and people's livelihoods.

Cho also emphasized that if the six major regional industrial living circles in Taiwan develop densely and in a balanced manner, the nation's overall energy will be simultaneously enhanced, and there will be no neglect of one area for another. The era of 'emphasizing the north over the south' is over. He stated that President Lai Ching-te's call for a 'Healthy Taiwan, Balanced Taiwan, United Taiwan' will certainly be achieved. (Editor: Chang Ming-kun) 1150612