E UNITED GROUP PLANS TO INVEST NT$50B ON STEEL PLANTS IN THE US|在台設廠環評卡關 義联集團轉赴美投資

Taiwan's E United group is planning to build steel plants in the United States. E United Group founder Lin I-shou said that Taiwan's environmental impact assessment requirements are too strict to follow and that there are too many restrictions. For the sake of the company's survival, he has no choice but to seek opportunities in other countries for investments. E United Group submitted their plans to the U.S. authorities two weeks ago and received a positive response within a week. E United group, one of Taiwan's leading conglomerates, has a capital of NT$200 billion and has businesses in manufacturing, medical service, real estate and education. On Mar. 22, E United Group founder Lin I-shou said that the corporate group plans to build steel plants in the U.S. in Texas with an initial investment of NT$50 billion. Lin said that Taiwan's strict environmental impact assessment requirements have prevented steel companies from setting such plants on the island for many years. ==LIN I-SHOU E United Group founder== We bought all equipment for the steel plant that was set to operate in Tainan. We have even got a permission from the bank by that time. However, the plant did not pass the environmental impact assessment. The project never started. For the past 15 years, E United group has submitted three investment plans to the local governments to expand their businesses in Tainan, Kaohsiung and Pingtung. With each proposal, the corporate group had an investment of at least NT$ 3 million, mostly at NT$ 10 million. However, all of their projects failed due to negative environmental impact assessments. E United group also planned to invest a shopping mall in Kaohsiung. It took three years for the corporate group to get government approval. E United group said in contrast to Taiwan government's low efficiency, it received a positive response within 7 days from the U.S. authorities after submitting the plan two weeks ago. ==CHAO CHIEN-CHIAO Chief of Public Works Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government== To receive construction permission, there are many requirements. It's the company's duty to manage to meet these requirements. I am not shoving off my responsibilities. For major investments, we should work together to make them feasible. We issue construction permission really first. Lin said for the sake of E United Group's steel business, seeking investment opportunities outside Taiwan is a must for the company's survival. However, E United Group will not move all their businesses away from Kaohsiung. Lin hoped that the government can provide help for companies which want to stay in Taiwan, so that they will not be forced to leave the country due to high restrictions. TRANSLATED BY：ARIEL HSIEH 資本額近兩千億的義聯集團，認為台灣環評條件嚴格，所屬的鋼鐵廠將前往美國投資。創辦人林義守說，近15年內，有3項大型投資案，研擬在台南等地設廠，都因為環評而卡關，比起台灣諸多限制，兩個星期前，向德州遞投資申請案，對方1星期就有了回復。 資本額近兩千億義联集團，產業涵蓋生產、醫療、地產等4大事業，發展主力之一的鋼鐵廠，創辦人林義守認為台灣環評太嚴格，幾乎沒有設廠機會，決定到美國德州投資，初期資金約500億元。 ==義聯集團創辦人 林義守== （本來在七股)一千萬公噸 這個一貫作業的這個鋼鐵廠 也是全部設備都買了 這個銀行融資都核准了 後來環評沒有通過 也沒有做 林義守說，過去15年，從台南七股到高雄彌陀以及屏東，都曾跟地方政府提出1千萬元或至少300萬元的投資計劃，卻因為環評不過而告吹，高雄另一個購物商場的投資案，也等了3年才等到執照，相較於美方投資案，他們2星期前提交計畫，7天內就得到回覆，效率明顯有落差。 == 高雄市工務局長 趙建喬== 你要發建照 執照 本身一定要有這些(環評)要件嘛 至於要件的修正 修正就是他們本身的事了 這不是在推責任啦 我想重大投資 應該大家互相合作 我想建照 執照 我們這邊都發的是很快 林義守說，為了自家鋼鐵業的發展，不得不向外找尋投資機會，但不至於整個集團產業都離開高雄。還是希望政府協助，讓想留在台灣的企業，不會因為諸多限制而出走。 記者 王柔婷 陳顯坤 高雄報導