An NT$990 million (US$32.46 million) renovation project for Taichung International Airport broke ground Nov. 18 in central Taiwan, spotlighting the government’s commitment to investing in infrastructure and enhancing the country’s global competitiveness.
At a ceremony to mark the occasion, President Tsai Ing-wen said central Taiwan has a key role to play in driving the economy, as it is home to the local precision machinery industry and a regional aviation maintenance center.
TIA is now a major gateway into Taiwan following the addition of direct flights from cities in Cambodia, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam in recent years, Tsai said, adding that the renovation project will spur local tourism by ensuring visitors arrive at a world-class transport hub.
According to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, traffic at TIA has steadily risen in recent years, reaching a record high of 2.64 million visitors in 2018, up 10 percent year on year.
After the renovation is completed at the end of 2022, the airport’s passenger capacity is set to be 3.69 million passengers per year, it added.
A further NT$75.6 billion expansion project is also planned for TIA, the MOTC said, which will improve airport access and see an additional runway and terminal built with the goal of increasing the hub’s annual passenger capacity to 10 million by 2040. (SFC-E)
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