No public transport fare hikes despite rising fuel prices: Vice premier

Taipei, April 2 (CNA) Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君) said Thursday that fares across all forms of public transport in Taiwan will not be increased amid rising global oil prices, while local airlines have agreed to delay any ticket price hikes for domestic flights.

The fares for the Taiwan High Speed Rail, Taiwan Railway, metro systems, and intercity bus services will not be increased despite the war in the Middle East sending global petroleum prices soaring, Cheng told a weekly Cabinet news conference in Taipei.

Meanwhile, following discussions with airlines, fares for domestic flights, including those to outlying islands, will not be raised for the time being, to "ensure fairness" for passengers traveling domestically by land and by air, she said.

The decision came after the Civil Aviation Administration announced the previous day that a fuel surcharge hike would take effect on April 7.

Cheng said that crude oil reserves are secure through June 20, while liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies through May have already been "fully arranged."

Of the 15 LNG tankers needed for June, 10 have so far been commissioned, with the government working on securing another five from Qatar, she said.

Cheng added that LNG prices for residential users will remain frozen in April, while industrial users will see a 5 percent increase.

Prices for bottled liquefied petroleum gas will remain unchanged through April, she said.

● Price stabilization measures launched as oil prices surge

Regarding fuel prices, Cheng said gasoline and diesel prices have been set in line with the lowest levels among neighboring Asian markets.

This measure, coupled with an expanded price stabilization mechanism that absorbs at least 60 percent of any increase, has ensured that fuel prices in Taiwan remain lower than those in Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore, she said.

The government's objective is to ensure that price stabilization measures will continue throughout the conflict and remain in place after the fighting ends until order is fully restored, Cheng said.