GOVERNMENT AIMS FOR BALANCED REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT|總統體驗高雄輕軌 強調推動"前瞻"決心

Yesterday afternoon President Tsai Ing-wen went to Kaohsiung for the first time to experience Asia's first overhead light railway. Currently the terminal station has been included in the forward looking infrastructure plan for the start of Kaohsiung's yellow MRT line. Tsai emphasized that the infrastructure plan showed government committment to balanced regional development. Kaohsiung City Mayor Chen Chu accompanied the President. President Tsai tried out the Kaohsiung overhead light rail and travelled on it to station C, as yet unopened, which will be the starting point of the Kaohsiung yellow line MRT, included in the 'forward-looking infrastructure plan.' ==TSAI ING-WEN ROC President== MOTC Minister Ho Chen respects Kaohsiung's light rail and hopes that Kaohsiung implements light rail services to a high standard in the metropolitan area, as this would be a good example for Taiwan. President Tsai visited Kaohsiung's light rail and praised it. She confirmed government commitment to the new metro line, saying that it was the government's responsibility to promote balanced regional development. ==TSAI ING-WEN ROC President== Resources need to be allocated in a balanced manner, so that people in all areas are looked after. So we are promoting the development of both rural and urban areas and construction projects for regional development, this is an important responsibility for our government. In the past, the Kaohsiung City government applied to the Yuans 20 times for the yellow MRT line, without succeeding. This time it has been included in national infrastructure planning. Kaohsiung City Mayor Chen Chu emphasized that this did not split the allocation of budget. ==CHEN CHU Kaohsiung City Mayor== The budget for the forward-looking infrastructure plan does not divide the spoils of the whole plan, I just say that our country needs balanced development. Tsai joked saying that MOTC Minister Ho Chen must feel the love when visiting Kaohsiung. Tsai hopes that the Kaohsiung light rail will be a model project for other light rail projects across Taiwan. However, the first phase of construction has already gone over schedule from last year to this, and at the venue, Chen threatened that if it were not finished by June this year, she would be angry. TRANSLATED BY：CLARE LEAR 總統蔡英文，今天下午首度到高雄，體驗亞洲第一座，無架空線輕軌，目前工程終點站，也是被編入，前瞻計畫的高雄捷運，黃線起點。蔡英文現場強調，推動前瞻計畫的決心，也表示區域均衡發展，是政府重要責任，高雄市長陳菊，也為前瞻計畫護航。 按鈕進入車廂，總統蔡英文首度體驗高雄輕軌，還抵達尚未通車的C9站，因為這裡同時也是被編入前瞻計畫的，高雄捷運黃線起點。 ==總統 蔡英文== 賀陳部長對於高雄的輕軌非常推崇 也希望高雄可以在都會地區 把輕軌做得好 做得成功 變成台灣非常好的一個典範 特別到高雄稱讚輕軌，也向高雄承諾捷運黃線勢在必行，對於最近引發熱議的前瞻計畫，蔡英文認為是政府推動區域均衡發展的責任表現。 ==總統 蔡英文== 資源必須要均衡的分配 讓每一個地方的人民 都能夠得到照顧 所以推動城鄉均衡 跟區域均衡的發展所需要的建設 是政府最重要的責任 高雄市政府過去向政院提報捷運黃線20次都沒成功，這次能被納入前瞻計畫，高雄市長陳菊自然力挺，強調前瞻計畫不是分贓。 ==高雄市長 陳菊== 今天這些前瞻計畫的預算 不是在分贓說這裡多少 我是說我們要實現 我們國家平衡的發展 蔡英文也開玩笑說，陪同南下的交通部長賀陳旦，在高雄應該最能感受到溫暖，不過總統希望高雄輕軌成為軌道建設典範，但輕軌第一階工程已經從去年延宕至今，陳菊也在現場說重話，如果今年六月不完工，她將會很不高興。 記者 王介村 許政俊 高雄報導