Ma said at a press conference that implementing the projects will help push up the gross domestic product (GDP) by one percentage point, boost per capita national income to US$30,000, and help the national coffers rake in earnings of NT$200 billion to NT$400 billion without having to seek loans to support the projects.
He urged the general public to discuss the economic development policies as unveiled by the Ma-Siew ticket instead of wasting time on ideological controversies.
"Only after Taiwan's economy is revitalized will Taiwan have a bright future," Ma stressed.
When elaborating on the "i-Taiwan 12 priority projects,: Ma said the letter "i" stands for "infrastructure" and "investment."
Four of the 12 projects will be in transportation, namely building rapid transit networks throughout Taiwan, turning Kaohsiung into a free port and an eco-park, making Taichung an Asia-Pacific maritime and air logistics center, and making Taoyuan International Air City become a reality.
There will be six projects on enhancing the quality of living environment. They include carrying out urban regeneration, revitalizing rural Taiwan, reviving coastal zones, building new forests on a grand scale, carrying out projects to prevent flooding and water pollution, and accelerating the construction of islandwide wastewater sewage systems for Taiwan.
In addition, there will be one project on industrial development, building industrial innovation corridors from the north to the south; and another on human resources, innovation and culture, building an intelligent Taiwan through the establishment of an information technology infrastructure; and the mobilization of Taiwan's brainpower and development of cultural and creative industries.
On the same occasion, Siew said that sluggish domestic demand has been the core problem of Taiwan's economy, but the government under the rule of the Democratic Progressive Party has suffered a negative growth in substantive investment, making Taiwan's economic development lag behind other Asian tigers.
Siew continued that lingering U.S. sub-prime mortgage loan upheaval and high international oil prices may make international economies suffer serious recession. To counter, Siew stressed, the economic development blueprint raised by the Ma-Siew ticket is aimed at expanding domestic demand by boosting government investment, thereby bolstering Taiwan's economic growth and creating job opportunities.
In response to the Ma-Siew economic development blueprint, spokesman Chao Tien-ling for the campaign headquarters of the DPP's presidential candidate Frank Hsieh, said Hsieh is glad to see Ma come up with economic policies, adding that Hsieh welcomes Ma to engage in debates over whose economic and financial development policies would be most suitable for Taiwan.
Chao also questioned whether the 12 projects can be put into practice or not, as government finances can hardly afford the budgets that would be needed for implementing the projects.
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Presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou of the opposition Kuomintang yesterday released his ˇ°i-Taiwanˇ± 12 priority projects which he vows if elected to implement at a total cost of NT$3.99 trillion over eight years, in a bid to create a second economic miracle in Taiwan. (CNA) | ||