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Apr 22, 2011
Taiwan slams brake on $25b petrochemical project

President Ma Ying-jeou told reporters: 'We will not support the
project to go on in Changhua county. It is a difficult decision.' --
PHOTO: AFP


TAIPEI - A CONTROVERSIAL giant petrochemical project in Taiwan is
expected to be abandoned after the island's leader voiced his
opposition on environmental grounds, officials said on Friday.

Kuokuang Petrochemical Technology Co had planned to build a refinery
and more than 20 related petrochemical plants costing about Tw$600
billion (S$25 billion) on 2,800 hectares of coastal land in western
Taiwan.

But President Ma Ying-jeou told reporters: 'We will not support the
project to go on in Changhua county. It is a difficult decision.

'We need to resolve the conflicts between economic developments and
environmental protection to find a balance,' he said.

Mr Ma's decision effectively put an end to the project as his
government is Kuokuang Petrochemical's largest shareholder through
state oil company CPC Corporation, economic ministry officials said.

The complex has been under consideration since the 1990s but has had
its location changed several times due to strong objections from local
residents and environmentalists. -- A