A new exhibition center in northern Taiwan has passed an important construction milestone — with the president there to see it. President Tsai Ing-wen attended the beam-raising ceremony on Friday for the Taoyuan Convention and Exhibition Center, which is expected to officially open in September 2023.
The center aims to provide high-quality spaces for industrial exhibitions and conferences to build Taoyuan up as a global base for research and development.
Taoyuan is home to the country’s largest international airport, and President Tsai says this makes the city the world’s gateway to Taiwan. She says Taoyuan is an important center for development, with almost 12,000 factories in a wide range of industries.
Tsai says Taoyuan has also been the biggest winner from the government’s programs to attract investment in the country. According to the president, the city has received more than NT$340 billion (US$1.1 billion) in funding.
That’s on top of money from the government itself. The new center alone has taken more than NT$4 billion (US$133.6 million) in public funds.
Tsai says that over the past few years, the construction of the center has persevered through many challenges brought on by the pandemic. She says this same dedication will transform Taoyuan into an international city with an exhibition venue to showcase its innovation.