TAIPEI: The Executive Yuan has given the go ahead to the merger of Tainan city and county into a single special municipality, entitled to special funding allotments, it was announced yesterday.

A special review board meeting last week was unable to achieve consensus on the merger of the two entities, during an elongated 15-hour session last week. Eight members of the member panel had favored the merger, six opposed and two were undecided. The matter was then turned over to the Executive Yuan for final judgement.

Tainan, the oldest city in Taiwan, had cited in its submission the region's history and the role it played in Taiwan's development.

It was established as the headquarters of the Dutch Colonial forces in 1661 and remained the island's capital until 1887.

"Premier" Liu Chao-shiuan, according to Executive Yuan spokesman Su Jun-pin, took notice of Tainan's standing as a manufacturing center with a population of 1.87 million, making it the fourth-largest city in Taiwan. The combined municipalities could serve as an important research and education center for the south, Su quoted Liu as saying.

Tainan is also dotted with numerous historic landmarks.

The mayor of Tainan city, Hsu Tain-tsair welcomed yesterday's announcement, saying it fulfills the wishes of the local community. Local residents set off fireworks outside the municipal government buildings in celebration.

The review panel last week gave unanimous approval to upgrading Taipei county. It also agreed to merging and upgrading Taichung city and county and Kaohsiung city and county.

The panel rejected bids from Taoyuan and Changhua counties for separate upgrade and from Yunlin and Chiayi counties for a merger and upgrade to the status of special municipality.

Su quoted Liu as saying that Taoyuan could soon qualify to be upgraded to special municipal status. Taoyan has a population of 1.96 million and is considered a significant center for technology and industrial development.

Liu also was quoted by Su as saying that the "three metropolises" concept, with one metropolis in the north, one in central and one in southern Taiwan, will increase Taiwan's competitiveness and balance regional development.

Elections for public officers in the new special municipalities which had been scheduled for the end of this year will be postponed until next year to provide additional time to make the transition.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 06/30/2009 page2)