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Why should Taichung be Taiwan's capital?
By Paul Adams
Translated by S. Ying
Inter-city rivalries have a long international history. Take a trip to Scotland and you'll hear crowds of whisky-drenched men in skirts extolling the virtues of Edinburgh over Glasgow and vice versa. Go all the way to the other side of the globe and the same arguments get exchanged over barbecues in Melbourne and Sydney. For the past 130 or so years, Taipei has been able to lord its exalted status as Taiwan's capital over the rest of the country. As a result it attracts the majority of the limelight, from news coverage to concerts by international touring acts. But it wasn't always this way. The capital has inched north over the years. It was originally located in Tainan and the last Qing dynasty governor was prepared to move it to Taichung. However, the new Japanese colonial administrators then decided to relocate the capital to Taipei. With this history of perpetual flux, it seems like a good time for another change, so I asked a sampling of Taichung residents, "Why should the capital of Taipei be moved to Taichung?"
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Amy (US)
Because then we'd finally get an MRT system finished on time. |
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Andrea (Taiwan)
Because Taichung is a mix of the flavours of the north and the south.
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Emily (Canada)
Becoming the capital could make Taichung even more multicultural and diverse and allow for greater recognition. |
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Matt (US)
Because the Taichung Book Club is the best in the world. Maybe the politicians could learn something. |
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Yi-Shan (Taiwan)
The pace of life in Taichung is much slower and it's less crowded here, so people could relax more. |
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Chiao (Taiwan)
It's far more laid-back here; everything in Taipei is too hectic and fast.
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Sunny (Wales)
If we were the capital, we might get a zoo so I wouldn't have to go to Taipei to see the pandas. |
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Jeen-Yi (Malaysia)
Taichung is less congested and has much more comfortable weather so it's better for tourists. |
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Yuvena (Indonesia)
Because Taichung's people better represent Taiwan's genuine hospitality, and because I happen to live here. |
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Jimmy (US)
Simply because of the weather. Taipei is always rainy, windy and cold. |
February 2015
