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Taiwan plans multibillion-dollar project to modernize international airport
Taiwan plans multibillion-dollar project to modernize international airport
TAIPEI, Taiwan: Taiwan plans to spend billions of dollars (euros) to renovate its dilapidated international airport near the capital of Taipei and build an ultramodern satellite town around it, officials said Tuesday.
The plan, which includes building a new terminal, an additional runway and airport maintenance facilities, is a key infrastructural project proposed by incoming President Ma Ying-jeou.
As planned, a satellite town will be built next to the airport development to include hotels, shopping malls, trade exhibition halls and a residential area.
Total investment for the Taoyuan International Airport and the adjacent town occupying an area of 7,200 hectares (17,780 acres) is slated for 1.2 trillion New Taiwan dollars (US$40 billion, 25 billion), officials said.
Legislative approval for land acquisition and construction work is expected shortly after Ma's inauguration in May 20, said Chu Li-lun, chief executive of Taoyuan County in northern Taiwan.
"We welcome international and mainland Chinese investors to invest in the project," Chu told The Associated Press.
"If South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong can build modern airports, so can we," he added.
The current international airport, inaugurated 28 years ago, has become aged and its operation has been criticized as inefficient.
A recent international airport quality assessment ranks the Taiwan airport 98th out of 136 major airports in the world, said Chiang Chun-ting, a Taoyuan County government official.
The new project could create 80,000 new jobs and generate NT$600 billion (US$20 billion, 12.6 billion) in annual revenues, he said.
Copyright 穢 2008 the International Herald Tribune All rights reserved
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