Lai touts infrastructure plans at Taoyuan campaign rally

Taoyuan, Dec. 24 (CNA) Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential nominee Lai Ching-te (賴清德) pitched plans to develop Taoyuan's public and industrial infrastructure during a campaign event in the northern Taiwan city on Sunday.

The DPP candidate and incumbent vice president made the pitch to a crowd of supporters braving the rain at Taoyuan's Minglun Sansheng Temple, on the final leg of a four-day, round-the-island campaign swing.

During his address, Lai said Taoyuan has a crucial role to play in connecting Taiwan with the world, given its easy access to the capital, science and technology parks and development around the city's international airport.

As such, the government has been investing to improve Taoyuan's transport network, Lai said, citing plans to extend the Taoyuan Airport MRT to Zhongli Train Station and move the city's railroad lines underground.

Regarding industrial development, Lai said he would prioritize the completion of the third terminal and runway at Taoyuan International Airport, which are key to realizing the potential of the still-under-construction Taoyuan Aerotropolis.

The aerotropolis, one of the largest infrastructure projects in Taiwan's history at over 4,500 hectares, was originally approved by the Cabinet in 2013 but has progressed slowly amid controversies over planned land expropriations.

Lai said the project's logistics, warehousing and financial infrastructure, as well as its location within a free-trade zone, would give Taoyuan a leading role in the "new Silicon Valley" the government hopes to foster in the Taoyuan-Miaoli-Hsinchu area.

Meanwhile, in terms of public infrastructure, Lai pledged to invest at least NT$8.5 billion (US$273 million) to construct a second medical building at the MOHW Taoyuan General Hospital, and to evaluate the establishment of a new children's hospital in the Zhongli area.

Over two four-year terms in office, his administration would also aim to build 42,000 social housing units in the Taoyuan-Miaoli-Hsinchu region, Lai said.

In addition to Lai's Dec. 21-24 campaign tour, the ruling DPP plans to hold political rallies in New Taipei on Jan. 3, in Taipei on Jan. 11, and in Tainan and New Taipei on the eve of the election on Jan. 12.

Lai and his running mate Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) will also take part in a series of motorcade parades across Taiwan from Jan. 8-12, his campaign manager, Pan Men-an (潘孟安), said last week.