Battling the Spread of Illegal Factories
Taiwan’s Industrial Land Crisis
Thousands of Taiwanese factories are operating illegally on land zoned for agricultural use. In many cases, they want to become legal but have found few options for doing so, in part because of land speculation and mismanagement. Is there any hope to solve this problem?
Confessions of Bicycle Parts Giant SRAM:
'We Had No Choice' but to Use Farmland
The factories clustered northwest of Taichung established Taiwan’s fame as a “bicycle kingdom.” But component maker SRAM, a pioneer in cutting-edge shifting systems, has had to resort to building factories on adjacent agricultural land.
Gay Marriage Legalization
Factions Clash as Marriage Equality Law Tabled
Last week, as legislators reviewed the Marriage Equality Law, thousands of protesters gathered outside the Legislative Yuan in Taipei.
Godspeed Director Chung Mong-hong
The Alluring Vicissitudes of the Real Taiwan
A society news story has become a Taiwanese road movie in the hands of film director Chung Mong-hong, an auteur who breathes life into the frustrations of everyday characters, transforming them into Taiwan’s most authentic landscape.
Chen Chi-chung, Vice Chairman of COA:
Public Should Monitor Agricultural Land Use
Tens of thousands of factories have been built illegally on farmland in Taiwan. While manufacturers hope to see these operations made legal, others fear that such moves would encourage the illegal occupation and destruction of farmland, jeopardizing the nation’s food safety.
Minister without Portfolio Chang Jing-sen:
Tear Down New Illegal Factories
Taiwan is littered with factories operating illegally on land not zoned for industrial use. The government has put Minister without Portfolio Chang Jing-sen on the problem, and he shares his plans in this interview with CommonWealth Magazine.