Premier Cho Jung-tai Inspects Xinying Sugar Factory: Supporting Balanced Development in Tainan

(Central News Agency, reporter Zhang Rongxiang, Tainan 12th) The Xinying Sugar Factory in Tainan City is about to undergo a transformation, with urban planning changes already initiated. Premier Cho Jung-tai stated during an inspection today that the central government will closely monitor the situation and support balanced development to revitalize the area, emphasizing that if Tainan is not balanced first, how can Taiwan be balanced.

Cho Jung-tai inspected the Xinying Sugar Factory today and also expressed concern about how to address population loss and marginalization in the Xibei area of Tainan. He said that Tainan is an important base for the Great Southern New Silicon Valley, but a country and a city cannot rely solely on the technology industry. The development of technology should not overshadow local traditional characteristics. Where there are local characteristics, the local economy should be developed, and giving it a tourism theme will allow it to go international.

Cho pointed out that the Xinying Sugar Factory covers 29.95 hectares and possesses cultural assets, vast spaces, and sugar-cane trains (five-inch gauge railway). More than half of the factory area is used by Taiwan Sugar Corporation itself. If the remaining 44% of the land can be revitalized, balanced development can be achieved. The NT$15 million preliminary planning cost for the 15-kilometer sugar-cane train corridor will be covered by the central government without issue. This is an important project that will form a new tourism corridor in the future.

Cho stated that the Tainan City Government proposed a comprehensive urban planning review for the Xinying Sugar Factory in May and will continue to complete the land use functions in July and August. The central government will also closely monitor the progress, jointly strengthening cultural preservation, industrial investment attraction, and public facilities to implement tourism industry development, making the Xibei area a development indicator for Tainan. (Editor: Li Xizhang) 1150612