Right Now！Kaohsiung, a good investment choice /投資高雄正是時候
Kaohsiung being a city of traditional industries bore the brunt of the rising unemployment rate amid recent international recession. Fortunately, Mayor Hsieh's efforts in marketing the city to businesses at home and abroad have borne fruit.
The NT$ 30 billion Dream Mall project by President Enterprise had broken ground on August 9. The enterprise is to turn it into the biggest mall in Taiwan. The construction work will be carried out next year in 3 phases and conclude at the end of 2012. The emphasis will be on shopping mall, high-rise residences, office buildings and tourism hotels. The project is expected to create 14,500 jobs.
Next to the Dream Mall is Taisugar Kaohsiung Logistics Park. President Chen Shui-bian presided over the launch of its first stage operation on March 31, symbolizing a great stride of Kaohsiung Harbor on the way to becoming a logistic center.
President Chen also hosted the ground-breaking ceremony of Kaohsiung Software Park on December 18 last year. The park will concentrate on the development of industries in the areas of e-commerce, multi-media, information service, warehousing logistic operation so as to distinguish itself form Lu Chu Science Park and Tainan Science Park. The park is divided into south and north zones, which will be developed respectively. It will serve as the starting point of innovation and upgrading of industries in southern Taiwan.
Development projects based in Kaohsiung Multifunctional Commerce Park (KMCP) that are currently under review include The Shanchien Industry Electric Communication Network Center, development projects of Taipower and China Petrochemical Development. The projects in planning are: Taisugar Business Park of Kaohsiung Harbor, the Kaohsiung Sulphurous Acid Shipping Center, Air Cargo Logistics Center of Kaohsiung Airport, YML Kaohsiung Global Logistics Center and Chi Chin Seagull Town Waterfront Resort.
KMCP has long been the focal point of development of Kaohsiung city. Mayor Hsieh pointed out that entrepreneurs see opportunity in crisis, and hope in despair. With so many investment projects, Kaohsiung indeed is a city full of opportunities. Mayor Hsieh will lead a group of delegates to Europe to promote Kaohsiung's business prospects in early September. On the 9-day tour, he will visit headquarters of business giants that have bases in Taiwan, including Phillips, Carrefour, Siemens and Mercedes-Benz. They will sign letter of intent with Kaohsiung city. Hopefully, the move can encourage more businesses to invest in Kaohsiung and turn KMCP into the "gem" of Taiwan.
As Taiwan's accession to WTO will soon be realized, cross-strait issues will be the next major area of concern. The recent implementation of sea-air cargo service will also contribute to the development of KMCP. As the construction work of KMRT is about to kick off, Kaohsiung's future is full of hopes.
在這一波國際性經濟不景氣的衝擊下，台灣勞工的失業率節節升高，尤其位居傳統產業的重鎮高雄，更是首當其衝，所幸素有「經濟市長」譽稱的高雄市長謝長廷，用心良苦祭出各種吸引國內、外廠商「投資高雄」的良方，並已逐漸獲得實質的成效。
例如投資金額高達三百億元的「統一夢公園」複合商業中心開發案，已於8月9日在高雄多功能經貿園區舉行動土典禮，統一企業集團準備投資三百億元，將這塊佔地面積廣達二萬多坪的基地，打造成為全國規模最大的購物中心，明年初全面開工，預計至民國101年底共計10年、分3期開發，以購物中心、高層住宅、辦公大樓及觀光旅館為主，將可創造一萬四千五百個就業機會。
而緊鄰「統一夢公園」開發案的「台糖高雄倉儲轉運園區」，第一期工程已在今年3月31日由陳水扁總統親自剪綵後展開營運，這個象徵台灣推動「全球運籌管理中心」政策的首件建設案，為開創高雄港成為「高雄物流中心港」的目標，跨出成功的第一步。
南台灣首座高雄軟體科技園區，去年12月18日也由陳水扁總統親臨主持動土典禮，佔地7.9公頃的高雄軟體科技園區，將以電子商務業、系統整合多媒體、資訊服務業、倉儲轉運及相關產業為主，與專事硬體生產的路竹科學園區、台南科學園區有所區隔，並將分南、北兩區兩期開發，預計興建三棟辦公大樓，其中A、B兩棟為地下3層、地上17層的建物，C棟為獨棟4樓的專業電子商務辦公室，該園區將是南台灣產業創發、企業轉型的出航點。
高雄多功能經貿園區另外已送審的開發案，尚包括：山建工業電子通訊網路中心、台電公司開發案及中石化公司開發案；規劃中的開發案則計有：台糖高雄港埠商業區、高雄硫酸錏購物中心、小港空運物流中心、陽明海運高雄國際物流中心和旗津海鷗城水岸遊憩開發計畫。
高雄多功能經貿園區是高雄市政府多年來推動的目標，市長謝長廷認為，企業家會在危機中看到商機，在悲觀中看到希望，廠商投資高雄多功能經貿園區，將證明高雄市是有前途的，為了向外資招手，謝市長9月初親自率團赴歐招商，在長達9天的行程，拜會在台投資的飛利浦、家樂福、西門子總公司和賓士總部，並與家樂福、西門子、賓士集團總裁簽訂投資意向書，加強廠商投資高雄的信心，希望讓高雄多功能經貿園區成為台灣的「瑰寶」。
台灣加入WTO即將實現，再來就是兩岸問題，最近海空聯運已經上路，這些因素都有利於高雄的發展，也是高雄多功能經貿園區的利多，加上高雄捷運工程即將啟動，高雄的未來發展令人充滿著期待。