Ma made the remarks in the company of Premier Liu Chao-shiuan when presiding over the inauguration ceremony for the new 37.6-kilometer freeway, which links Wufong in Taichung County to Puli in Nantou County, central Taiwan.

The president hailed the construction of the new freeway as it incorporates high-tech and eco-friendly materials and techniques, saying it will help upgrade Nantou's tourism and agriculture.

Although the only landlocked county in Taiwan, Nantou will undoubtedly play a prominent role in Taiwan's tourism industry and in other sectors thanks to the new freeway, Ma said.

“Nantou will no longer be a heaven hard to reach, and its development is foreseeable,” he said.

Nantou is rich in agricultural and tourism resources. One of its major products is the famous Oolong tea, and its tourist attractions include Sun Moon Lake and Shitou Forest Recreational Area, two of the country's most popular scenic areas.

In fact, the new freeway will cut short travel time from Taipei to Sun Moon Lake by half from five to two and a half hours.

The president also noted that the government will list development of green energy industries, cultural and creative industries, medical travel and leisure tourism among its priority tasks in the near future.

Speaking on the same occasion, Premier Liu also welcomed the completion of the national freeway, the first in Taiwan to prioritize the concept of sustainable growth by effectively mitigating the impact on the environment along its route.

“I believe that Nantou will find new horizons for diverse development,” the premier said, adding that the government is set to implement other major public construction projects in the coming years across the country to prop up Taiwan's economy.

Liu said that he hoped that through the implementation of the 12 “love-Taiwan” construction projects, as many as 120,000 new job opportunities can be created annually, thereby significantly reducing the jobless rate.

The construction of National Freeway No. 6 started in 2004, with a budget of NT$37.6 billion (US$1.11 billion)

President Ma, a jogging enthusiast, joined 1,000 runners in a five-kilometer “Starlight Marathon” that started from Tsaotun township in Nantou to mark the opening of the new freeway. Ma finished the run in 25 minutes.