Taoyuan Tourism Dept. Refutes Candidate's Claims of Stalled Fuxing District Construction

Taoyuan City's Department of Tourism has strongly refuted accusations from a mayoral candidate, Huang Shijie, that construction projects in the Fuxing District are stalled. The department asserts that initiatives, including the establishment of the Beiyou National Scenic Area and the certification of Lalashan as an International Dark Sky Place, are progressing through necessary legal and professional review processes.

Officials criticized Huang for allegedly distorting administrative procedures, misrepresenting legal processes as administrative roadblocks, and framing phased construction as lagging progress. They also accused him of mischaracterizing the normal review and improvement process for international certification as a "shoot first, then draw the target" scenario, claiming he is twisting administrative procedures for electoral purposes and misleading the public.

The department explained that establishing the Beiyou National Scenic Area involves central government responsibilities, resource value assessments, governance scope, indigenous rights, and subsequent tribal consultations. It cannot be unilaterally declared by the local government. The city government is actively seeking the Tourism Administration of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications to expedite the national-level scenic area assessment to confirm its resource value and potential scope before establishing a governance framework and proceeding with tribal consultations. Over half of Fuxing District's tribes have already formed tribal councils.

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He deliberately distorts 'handling according to law' into 'administrative roadblocks' and smears 'phased construction' as 'progress lagging.'

Regarding the Lalashan International Dark Sky certification, the Tourism Department clarified that such certifications involve application, scope confirmation, professional review, light source improvement, supplementary data, and ongoing monitoring. This is a standard procedure worldwide, and receiving suggestions for improvement is part of the process, not an indication of application failure. The department stated that the candidate's claims that the city government has not prepared the basic requirements are unfounded.

In response to criticisms about public restroom construction at the Lalashan Visitor Center, the department noted that mountain construction in Fuxing District is complex, involving terrain, climate, utilities, power, land conditions, and construction accessibility. Projects are advanced annually based on urgency, project maturity, and budget.

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The review unit's suggestions for improvement are part of the international certification process.