Chiang’s proposal to remove Songshan airport sparks controversy

DETAILED PLAN NEEDED: Relocating the airport would affect not just travelers, but also undermine national defense and emergency medical services, a legislator said

• By Shelley Shan / Staff reporter

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Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) yesterday proposed relocating Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) and turning the site into an artificial intelligence (AI) park, drawing opposition from politicians across party lines.

Chiang’s plan would turn the 300 hectares into an AI park featuring tech clusters, residential communities and green space.

The industrial cluster would host 200 domestic enterprises, generate NT$12 trillion (US$376.47 billion) in output, and accommodate 65,000 jobs and 35,000 residents, he said.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an presents a proposal to relocate Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) yesterday.

Photo: Lo Pei-de, Taipei Times

Cabinet spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) said the Executive Yuan was surprised by the announcement, as the Taipei City Government did not discuss the proposal with the central government before making it public.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Yang Yao (楊曜) from Penghu County said that Songshan airport is a key transportation hub for residents on the outlying islands.

Relocating it without a detailed plan would not only affect regular travelers, but also undermine national defense and emergency medical services, he said.

DPP Legislator and Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen (沈伯洋) asked what Chiang had done to advance the goal during his time as mayor and a lawmaker representing the district.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) candidate for Penghu County commissioner Chen Cheng-chung (陳振中) said Songshan is important to Penghu residents who seek medical attention, study, work and visit relatives in Taipei.

KMT Lienchiang County commissioner candidate Wang Chung-ming (王忠銘) said he supports the development of the AI industry, but such policies should not come at the expense of the rights and interests of residents in outlying islands.

KMT Legislator and Kinmen County commissioner candidate Chen Yu-chen (陳玉珍) took a more positive view, saying Kinmen supports AI development and welcomes infrastructure projects in Taipei, but added that residents in outlying islands are concerned about access to flights.

If Songshan airport services are relocated to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, the government should ensure sufficient flight capacity and provide dedicated shuttle services, transportation subsidies and other transport arrangements, she said.

Lu Yen-liang (盧衍良), director of the Department of Flight Operations at Chaoyang University of Technology, said Songshan airport serves military and civilian purposes, and plays a key role in emergency medical evacuations, transportation to outlying islands and general aviation.

Moving all flights to the Taoyuan airport could create operational and safety challenges, as the former handles aircraft ranging from helicopters and turboprops to jets, while the latter primarily handles jet aircraft, Lu said.

Songshan airport’s central location, similar to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport and Seoul’s Gimpo Airport, provides significant economic and medical advantages that would be difficult to replace, Lu added.

National Taiwan Ocean University professor Yen Chin-ju (顏進儒) said he was not opposed to relocating the airport, but its functions would need to be preserved and suitable alternatives must be established.

Relocation would face major challenges, particularly as Taoyuan airport’s planned capacity expansion would not be able to absorb Songshan airport’s redirected passenger traffic, he said.

With Taoyuan airport’s annual passenger volume expected to exceed 50 million this year, shifting Songshan airport’s traffic to Taoyuan — or even distributing it among other airports — would be difficult, he added.